Collonges 11-8 Favourite To Record Back-To-Back Wins In The Guinness Gold Cup The long time ante-post favourite Neptune Collonges heads a list of 15 horses that have stood their ground at the five day declaration stage of the Grade 1 Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup. Paul Nicholls charge will be aiming to record back to back victories in the Wednesday´s race, and is rated an 11-8 chance by William Hill to do so. Michael Hourigan has left three horses in the race. Mossbank, who was runner-up to Our Vic in the Ryanair Chase, Hi Cloy, and the ten time Grade 1 winner Beef Or Salmon, who is rated a 14-1 chance by Hills to take the €275,000 prize on his final racecourse appearance. Kicking King is also among the entries for the 3 mile 1 Furlong contest. In 2005 Tom Taaffe´s charge followed up his victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup with an impressive win in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup, and his trainer will be hoping that his charge can reproduce that kind of form in Wednesday´s race. Ferdy Murphy is hoping that New Alco, who was the runner-up in the William Hill Trophy Chase at Cheltenham, can produce a good showing in first outing in Grade 1 company. Also declared are the Grand National third, fifth and sixth ? Snowy Morning, Bewleys Berry and Cloudy Lane. William Hill´s Irish spokesman Tony Kenny commented "Neptune Collonges looks like he´ll be the one to beat on Wednesday. On all known form he´s entitled to be favourite for the race, and I wouldn´t be too surprised if he went off around even money" "Beef Or Salmon´s best year´s have been and gone, and it would be a massive surprise if he won the race. However, he is a massive favourite with the punters, and we´re expecting to see a good bit of sentimental money for the old fella on Wednesday" Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup (William Hill Bet): 11-8 Neptune Collonges, 7-2 Mossbank, 10-1 Kicking King, 11-1 Cloudy Lane, 12-1 Mister Top Notch, 14-1 Beef Or Salmon, New Alco, Snowy Morning, 16-1 Hi Cloy, One Cool Cookie, 20-1 Pomme Tiepy, 25-1 Cailin Alainn, 33-1 Bewleys Berry, 50-1 Sher Beau, 100-1 Bothar Na? All 15 Quoted (E/W 1/5 1-2-3)
