RACING NEWS ROUND-UP:THE LISTENER and Andrew McNamara have both been Hennessy Gold Cup heroes in the past and they will team up for the first time in an attempt to win the €200,000 feature again at Leopardstown this Sunday.
The English-trained grey is a 9 to 2 third favourite in some ante-post lists behind the odds-on Neptune Collonges and Notre Pere but McNamara believes The Listener has a “great chance” and he should know.
The Listener could be going for three-in-a-row on Sunday were it not for McNamara’s inspired finish on Beef Or Salmon in 2007 when he came from what looked a hopeless position to mug his rival on the line by three quarters of a length.
The Listener made up for that by winning well last year under Daryl Jacob but Jacob has paid the price for a second fence fall in the Lexus in December and McNamara will now team up with the Nick Mitchell-trained star.
“I’ve ridden for the owner, Ray Humphries, in the past and finished third on Distant Thunder in a William Hill at Cheltenham one year.
“After the horse fell the last day he got in touch with me. It had nothing to do with me but it is a great spare to get,” the jockey said yesterday.
“I went over and schooled the horse a few weeks ago and he jumped well. He jumped a set of four fences three times and did it well. There doesn’t seem to be much doubt that the ground will be heavy on Sunday and that should be ideal for the horse. He must have a great chance,” he added.
The Hennessy will be the centrepiece of a triple Grade One card on Sunday and there will also be intense interest in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle as champion trainer Willie Mullins still hasn’t ruled out the possibility of both Hurricane Fly and Cousin Vinny clashing with each other.
The star Mullins pair dominate the 11-strong entry for the Grade One and are also first and second favourites in ante-post betting for the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham.
“Both of them are in good form and I think they are fit and well. At the moment both are running anyway,” Mullins said yesterday.
The two horses are in a number of races in next month’s festival and Hurricane Fly’s options include the Champion Hurdle for which he was one of 29 entries left in at yesterday’s forfeit stage.
But Mullins insists he will leave a decision on which races his ultra-strong novice team eventually run in at the festival until as late as possible.
“I am keeping my options open. Hurricane Fly has won a Grade Two over two and half miles at Auteuil on heavy ground so he has plenty of stamina and could easily go further,” he said.
“I will see what the ground is like. A lot will depend on that. The way the weather is shaping up ground doesn’t look like being an issue. There doesn’t seem to be a long-term forecast for a dry spell,” he added.
Hurricane Fly has been installed an evens favourite by Cashmans for Sunday’s Deloitte with Cousin Vinny rated a 3 to 1 shot.
Colm Murphy will take on one or both of the Mullins stars with Zaarito on Sunday as the horse attempts to earn his own ticket for the Cheltenham festival alongside some illustrious stable companions.
Brave Inca continues to please Murphy on the run up to what will be his fourth attempt on the Champion Hurdle while Big Zeb has recovered from a fall behind Mansony last time and is rated a 12 to 1 second favourite with Paddy Power to overcome the Champion Chase hotpot Master Minded.
“He’s still in the Queen Mother and the Ryanair but he will more than likely go for the Queen Mother at the moment. He’s good again now.
“He seemed to be comfortable enough at Punchestown and I was quite happy until he fell. Master Minded looks a class act and the betting says it all. But we will be hoping for a big run,” Murphy said yesterday.
“Brave Inca is very good and he has come out of Leopardstown extremely well,” he added.
“It was a great run last time, especially at that level, and he has kind of decided to go back to Cheltenham so we’ll go too.”
Cooldine is as low as 5 to 2 favourite for Sunday’s third Grade One race at Leopardstown and Willie Mullins reported yesterday: “I ran him back over two miles at Christmas to sharpen his jumping and things didn’t go the way we planned. We like pace with him and we won’t be afraid to make our own.”
LEOPARDSTOWN GOLD CUP BETTING:(Paddy Power): 4-6 Neptune Collonges, 4 Notre Pere, 9-2 The Listener, 8 Air Force One, 20 Thyne Again, 25 Afistfullofdollars, 40 Chelsea Harbour.
The Dashing Doctor set to follow up
THE DASHING Doctor has a big weight in the second handicap hurdle at today's Thurles fixture but it still looks a good opportunity for the consistent eight-year-old, writes Brian O'Connor.
A switch back to the smaller obstacles from a successful time over fences saw The Dashing Doctor win at Limerick over the same two-and-three-quarter miles as today’s assignment at the start of this month.
He looked to have potentially a winning handicap mark over hurdles that day and took full advantage to get the better of The Thirsty Bricky by two and a half lengths.
A 7lb higher mark for that success doesn't stop The Dashing Doctorfrom still looking reasonably handicapped in a poor contest and he can follow up.
Power Of Attorney will be a popular fancy in the opening maiden hurdle on the back of an encouraging third to Realt Dubh and Sorceror at Leopardstown over Christmas.
There might be a touch of value in siding with Madmanhowever. Philip Rothwell's horse was a 20 to 1 shot when chasing home Sun Tzu over this course and distance last time and it looks like there should be more to come from him.
Michael O’Leary’s colours will also be carried in the two-and-three-quarter mile maiden by Shouldertoshoulder.
This looks a hot enough race and there may be better value in siding with Davy Russell's mount Phoenix Runwho returned to action with a good run at Gowran in December.
Bronx Girlbrings a 114 rating to the mares Beginners Chase and running up to that could be enough.
Francis Flood’s charge ran in a decent contest behind Equus Maximus on New Year’s Eve and can also boast of a good run behind Chelseas Harbour at Navan.
