Newbury's Hennessy Gold Cup has some bittersweet memories for Co Carlow trainer Willie Mullins but he will be hoping today's £150,000 feature will allow Bothar Na bring a successful end to a sad week.

Mullins's former Cheltenham festival winner Missed That had to be put down after breaking his pelvis and severing an artery during a work-out on Thursday.

In addition to his Festival Bumper success, Missed That also carried Violet O'Leary's colours to Grade One success in last season's Durkan New Homes Chase and the Baileys Arkle.

Those same red and white colours were also at the centre of the protracted legal saga involving Be My Royal who "won" the 2002 Hennessy under David Casey only to be later thrown out after failing a dope test.

Conor O'Dwyer will be on board Bothar Na who will bid for compensation for Mullins and also add to his biggest success to date which was at Listowel in September when the former hunter chaser won the Kerry National.

O'Dwyer's previous rides for Mullins include an unplaced effort on Florida Pearl in the Gold Cup six years ago.

Bothar Na will be the principal Irish racing interest today after this afternoon's scheduled meeting for Gowran Park was called off yesterday afternoon.

The decision to scrap the fixture came after the Co Kilkenny course passed an early morning inspection but with the proviso that another look would be taken at the track this morning due to a poor weather forecast.

However, conditions worsened quicker than expected and by early afternoon, the authorities decided that the ground was waterlogged and cancelled the fixture.