Impressive entries for Hennessy card Leopardstown Racecourse today announced impressive entries for the four Grade 1 races at the course on Hennessy Gold Cup Day on Sunday, February 8th. A total of 16 horses have been entered for the €150,000 Grade 1 Hennessy Gold Cup headed by On His Own, one of four entries from champion trainer Willie Mullins who has won the race on nine occasions since 1999. Four entries have been received from the UK, including two from Paul Nicholls who sent out Neptune Collonges to win under Ruby Walsh in 2009. He has entered Rocky Creek and Unioniste while Oliver Sherwood and Jonjo O'Neill could be represented by Many Clouds and Shutthefrontdoor respectively. Flogas are Leopardstown's newest sponsors and 22 horses have been entered for the €85,000 Grade 1 Flogas Novice Chase, formerly run as the Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase. Valseur Lido, Don Poli and Vautour rank highly in an eight strong Willie Mullins entry and other notable entries include Le Vent D'Antan, a Leopardstown winner at Christmas for Liz Doyle and the recent JP McManus-owned winners Jarry D'Honneur, Noble Emperor and Gilgamboa. The €90,000 Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle has attracted a bumper entry of 30 horses and Willie Mullins is responsible for more than a third of those. He has put 11 in the race including the unbeaten Douvan, recent Naas winner Mckinley and Alvisio Ville, so promising at Leopardstown last month. Navan Grade 2 winner No More Heroes, trained by Gordon Elliott, would certainly be a leading fancy if allowed take his chance. A total of six horses have been entered from the UK and the raiding party could include Harry Fry's impressive Kempton winner Jollyallan and John Ferguson's Zip Top who won at Leopardstown on his debut as a two-year-old in 2011 and went on to finish second to Camelot in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster when trained by Jim Bolger. The Bolger name features prominently among the owners with entries in the €85,000 Grade 1 Gala Retail Spring Juvenile Hurdle. On behalf of owner Mrs Jackie Bolger, trainer Des McDonogh has entered course winners Fiscal Focus and Theophilus and that pair could be joined by the maiden Ring Chief. Willie Mullins has five in the race including Kalkir who finished second to Fiscal Focus at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. The Limerick winner Vercingetorix is possibly the pick of Gordon Elliott's three entries and Dai Bando would be an interesting runner for Ross O'Sullivan. Dan Skelton is responsible for Zarib who was a good winner at Newbury in mid-December. Pat Keogh, Chief Executive of Leopardstown Racecourse, said, "Once again, our trainers have done us proud. The level of entries for our four Grade 1 events is as good as ever and we could not be happier at this stage. Hennessy Gold Cup Day is a day we really look forward to and it is shaping up very, very well."
