RACING/News: Foxchapel King is now likely to go straight to Cheltenham for the Tote Gold Cup.

The Mouse Morris-trained star hasn't run since beating Native Upmanship and Rince Ri in the Ericsson Chase over Christmas and had been an intended runner in this Sunday's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.

However, Morris said yesterday that Foxchapel King is almost certain to miss the Hennessy and another clash with the triple winner, Florida Pearl. Foxchapel King has already beaten Florida Pearl this season, in the Nicholson Chase at Down Royal.

"I'm very unlikely to run in the Hennessy. Even if the ground got better I would still be very slow to go to Leopardstown," Morris said yesterday.

"To be honest, I've never had any great plans to run him in it. Once he won the Ericsson he was entitled to have a crack at the big one in Cheltenham, and the Ericsson form is working out so well.

"The horse is almost dangerously well at the moment and we will probably take him to Leopardstown for a piece of work nearer the time," he added.

Foxchapel King's usual rider, David Casey, will be on Sackville in the Hennessy, but as for Cheltenham plans, Morris said: "We will leave it until later but I will be very surprised if I'm stuck for a jockey!"

Florida Pearl and his stable companion, Alexander Banquet, the first two in last year's Hennessy, are set to lead the acceptors at the today's forfeit stage for the big race, which is also set to attract the Newbury Hennessy runner-up, Behrajan, from Britain.

The ground at Leopardstown was yesterday described as "heavy" but there are no concerns that the weather could again play a role in the weekend action.

"We are not overly concerned and there are certainly no panic stations at the moment," said the Leopardstown racing manager Tom Burke.

The weekend fixtures at Punchestown that were lost to the weather are unlikely to be rescheduled.

The Punchestown racing manager, Richie Galway, said yesterday: "We will have to decide on Monday but I would say rescheduling is doubtful. We had another 7mms of rain last night and it's not pretty here at the moment, especially with more rain forecast .

"At the back of our minds has to be the festival, because we don't want to damage the track to such an extent that we won't be able to repair it in time for April."