Trix one to beat says Nolan Paul Nolan expects Money Trix to be the horse to beat in Sunday's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown. Nolan saddles Joncol in the three-mile Grade One and will be bidding to turn around Lexus Chase form with Money Trix after the pair finished third and second respectively behind What A Friend at Christmas. They meet on exactly the same terms this time, and Nolan admits it is a mystery why his charge is favoured in the market ahead of the Nicky Richards-trained raider. He said: "I don't really understand why Money Trix is behind us in the market as he is the one to beat. "He would probably have won in another stride in the Lexus - he beat us fair and square - so he is the one to watch." Seven-year-old Joncol is a rising star in the chasing ranks after landing a first Grade One success in the John Durkan last October following a solid novice season. Beaten just under two lengths by Paul Nicholls' What A Friend in the Lexus, Nolan is hoping for another good run at the weekend, although he expects conditions to be pretty testing. "Everything has been going well with him, he's fine and hopefully he will get there in one piece," said the County Wexford handler. "It's a competitive race and we're hopeful he will run well, but he will obviously have to improve again. "We're not making any excuses, and he will go on heavy ground, but I think it might be a bit more testing than it was at Christmas." Nolan might consider a slight change in tactics for Joncol this time as Alain Cawley's mount was prominent throughout in the Lexus before just fading out of it slightly on the run-in. "Alain will ride him again and while we were quite aggressive in the Lexus, we might not be as aggressive with the tactics this time and see if that makes a difference," explained Nolan. "Our boy made one mistake at the third-last in the Lexus and got away with it so if we could get another round like that in on Sunday, we'd have a chance." A total of seven horses go to post for the valuable event, with Money Trix the sole challenger from Britain. Willie Mullins' Cooldine is the likely favourite, although he needs to bounce back from being pulled in the Lexus, while his brother Tom Mullins saddles Made In Taipan. Dessie Hughes runs In Compliance and Schindlers Hunt, with Notre Pere completing the line-up.
