RACING: Willie Mullins yesterday confirmed that his veteran star Florida Pearl will reappear at Fairyhouse on Saturday but the trainer is holding fire on plans for his Champion Hurdle hope Davenport Milenium.
Florida Pearl, now 12 years old, is due to have his first race in almost nine months in the Grade Three Normans Grove Chase over two miles at the weekend. The triple Hennessy and King George winner is being prepared for a final crack at the Gold Cup in which he has finished second and third in the past.
Paddy Power rate Florida Pearl a 40 to 1 shot to finally pick off steeplechasing's holy grail but before that Mullins plans another crack at the Hennessy at Leopardstown early nexth month and the Fairyhouse race will be vital warm up for that task.
"He is well enough to take his chance and I think we will let him run," Mullins said yesterday. Florida Pearl last ran over two miles when finishing a distance behind Moscow Flyer in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham and hasn't run at all since finishing only fifth to First Gold in the Heineken Gold Cup at Punchestown.
This is likely to be Florida Pearl's last season of racing but a horse on the upswing is Davenport Milenium who has a choice of the AIG at Leopardstown or the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham for his first start since November.
That was in the Bula at Cheltenham and Mullins reported yesterday: "He is entered in both and I suppose I would rather stay at home rather than travel again. But we will see. I am not going to commit either way until I have to."
The trainer added that Davenport Milenium is in good order after being ruled out of his proposed Christmas outing due to a bout of the bug that has plagued stables in recent weeks.
Another Mullins star, the SunAlliance Hurdle hope Sadlers Wing, as low as 10 to 1 for Cheltenham, could make just his second start over jumps at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
Michael Hourigan said yesterday he is confident about getting Beef Or Salmon ready in time to defend his Hennessy Gold Cup crown at Leopardstown next month.
The horse has recovered from the mucus problem that affected his Ericsson performance and Hourigan said: "My horse is 100 per cent again and the plan is the Hennessy."
If Best Mate is to repeat his outstanding Ericsson success next season he will have to do it in the renamed €150,000 Lexus Chase.
The car company have stepped in to pick up the sponsorship of the third day Christmas festival highlight at Leopardstown after Ericsson's withdrawl and have agreed a three-year deal.
The Lexus Ireland chairman, Tim Mahony, owner of Ballylinch Stud which is part of the Mount Juliet establishment, said yesterday: "Having been raised to Grade One status in 2002, we felt the race was the perfect fit for us."
Past Lexus sponsorships have included the Irish 2,000 Guineas and the Tetrarch Stakes.
Tommy Treacy was a Hennessy winner on Danoli in 1997 but the jockey has had to exist on rather less exotic fare recently and has ridden just eight winners so far this season. However, he could reach double figures at Down Royal this afternoon where Crooked Mile has a decent shout in the second part of the two-mile hurdle and Burnt Out could be worthy of consideration in the first division of the mares maiden.
One interesting runner today is Derawar who is 6lb higher for an 11-length defeat of Dutsdale Dream in the Proudstown Hurdle at Navan on Saturday. The Moore runner makes a quick reappearance and looks up to beating the Tramore winner Paddy's Girl.
Barry Geraghty makes the journey north and should make it pay with Admiral Brown whose half-length second to Govamix on New Year's Day looks enough for the opener.
