LEOPARDSTOWN PREVIEW:IT IS four years since an Irish-trained runner managed to win the Lexus Chase but Joncol looks the prime home candidate to defy a strong British raiding party in Leopardstown's day three festival feature.
With the last three renewals of the €150,000 highlight having gone to The Listener, Denman and the ill-fated Exotic Dancer, there’s no surprise in seeing a four-strong British raid on this Lexus.
They are headed by What A Friend, part-owned by Alex Ferguson, who had the onerous task of chasing home his stable companion Denman in last month’s Hennessy at Newbury.
Also in the mix is the former two-mile champion Voy Por Ustedes whose previous attempt at three miles yielded a third in last year’s King George, while Money Trix is something of an unknown quantity, winning small races in the north of England but still touted as a Gold Cup outsider.
In terms of Gold Cup betting, however, today’s race looks to revolve around Cooldine, as low as 10 to 1 for the blue riband in March, and rated “best of the rest” in the Kauto Star-Denman Gold Cup show.
A convincing success today would be a welcome and intriguing shake up to that apparent monopoly and significantly, Ruby Walsh has remained loyal to his RSA Chase winner over What A Friend.
Willie Mullins has had a less than straight-forward season so far with a lot of his top-notchers and Cooldine wasn’t pleasing him enough on the run-up to the John Durkan Memorial earlier this month to allow him take his chance.
“It’s going to be a hard race first time back. The season is starting to get on though and I’m anxious to get him out so he will strip fitter as the season goes on,” the champion trainer said yesterday.
In contrast, the giant 18 hand high Joncol is coming here in the form of his life having won that Durkan and giving every sign that a three-mile test will be right up his street.
Both trainer Paul Nolan and jockey Alain “Squeaky” Cawley have been in blinding form this month and they are convinced Joncol has it within his massive frame to become a genuine Gold Cup candidate. “He has been very well since the last day and has had no setback,” Nolan said yesterday. “He has to take his chance and there will be no excuses. We’ll see if he has improved.”
Notre Pere is attempting to get his season back on track after a fall, and a lacklustre fifth to Kauto Star at Haydock, but would realistically prefer softer ground conditions, while the Dessie Hughes pair, In Compliance and Schindlers Hunt, look to have something to find.
A total of 10 runners line up in today's other Grade One event, the Knight Frank Novice Chase, with Pandoramaattempting to bring off a top-flight double having beaten Alpha Ridge by seven lengths in Fairyhouse's Drinmore.
The two clash again here over half a mile extra, something that should be no trouble to either horse. Alpha Ridge’s hopes of reversing the form, however, would have been possibly better on softer ground than he gets now and it’s hard to escape the conclusion that Pandorama is the horse to beat. Noel Meade’s horse showed a marked tendency to jump left on his chase debut and while it wasn’t as marked in the Drinmore, running anti-clockwise should be a major plus for him.
Catch Me reverts back to fences after a disappointing effort in the Hatton’s Grace, while the Cheltenham Festival winner Weapons Amnesty tries to build on the momentum of a Newcastle victory last time.
The Grade Two Woodies Christmas Hurdle over three miles features the first three home in the Hatton’s Grace, Oscar Dan Dan, Ninetieth Minute and Healys Bar, but it will be notable for the appearance of some star steeplechase names.
None more so than the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition who has his first start over the smaller obstacles since finishing runner-up to Brave Inca in the 2004 Supreme.
There wasn't much spark in War Of Attrition's Hennessy performance last month but better ground should help him put in a better effort here while the Grand National candidate Vic Venturi is an interesting starter too. In terms of a winner, though, the best bet looks to be Noble Princewho was beaten by Aitmatov in the Lismullen after making a quick reappearance that in hindsight may have been too quick.
Willie Mullins has had a fine season with horses coming to him from other yards and Hampshire Express, who used to be handled by Seán Aherne, looks interesting in the novice handicap hurdle, while Life Of Reillycan score for John Kiely in the opening maiden hurdle.
