Reports:IT'S LONG odds-on that Ruby Walsh will be on board either Kauto Star or Denman in next month's Cheltenham Gold Cup, but that hasn't prevented Willie Mullins confirming that the champion jockey will ride Cooldine in Sunday's Hennessy at Leopardstown.
Paul Townend rode the RSA winner in the Lexus over Christmas, when a 24-hour postponement due to fog meant Walsh was unavailable. Cooldine had to be pulled up that day suffering from an infection, and Mullins is confident of a better performance in this weekend’s €180,000 feature with Walsh back in the plate.
“He has schooled well and worked well in the past week and I’m happy with him. I’ve put a line through Christmas,” the champion trainer reported ahead of an attempt at a remarkable seventh Hennessy success.
Florida Pearl’s four-timer (1999-2000-01-04) was backed up by Alexander Banquet (2002) and Rule Supreme (2005) during a seven-year stretch broken only by Beef Or Salmon in 2003.
The irony was that Walsh wasn’t on board for any of them, but he plugged the Hennessy gap on his CV with victory on Neptune Collonges last year, who won by five lengths from Notre Pere.
Neptune Collonges completed the major Leopardstown double for Walsh last year after Brave Inca’s Champion Hurdle success a fortnight before, and Solwhit’s rider, Davy Russell, will attempt to do the same this time on Money Trix.
The Nicky Richards-trained grey will try to bring up a British hat-trick after Neptune Collonges and The Listener. Money Trix was a fast-finishing runner-up in the Lexus, and Richards reported: “Davy rides him again and he knows the horse now so that should be in our favour.”
Money Trix was an ante-post mover yesterday, cut to 7 to 2 by Paddy Power, but Cooldine remains a warm 7 to 4 favourite in many lists.
Weapon’s Amnesty is leading the betting for Sunday’s Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase, a Grade One target also for Roberto Goldback and Zaarito, who took a heavy fall in the Irish Arkle last time.
“I suppose on form he has his chance but I’m hoping for a clear round,” Zaarito’s trainer, Colm Murphy, said. “Weapon’s Amnesty won very well the last day and you have to respect him, so we’re more hopeful than confident. They are forecasting plenty of rain between now and the weekend, but our horse shouldn’t mind that.”
Roberto Goldback was an impressive Grade Two winner at Leopardstown 12 days ago and will go up in class this weekend.
“It’s bound to be more competitive but he seems to jump and stay very well,” said trainer Jessica Harrington, who indicated the Roberto Goldback could skip Cheltenham in favour of the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse over Easter. “I don’t know what his best trip is. He is not a slow horse but whether he gets three miles or not, I don’t know.”
Harrington also confirmed that Saludos will take on the top novice Dunguib on Sunday in the Deloitte Hurdle, despite being an odds-on failure at Punchestown last weekend. “We know he is much better going left-handed,” Harrington said. “I think he has improved so much this year.”
Dunguib came through a work-out yesterday morning and trainer Philip Fenton said: “Everything went well and he’s in good order.”
Gordon Elliott has indicated that Carlito Brigante, as low as 8 to 1 for the Triumph Hurdle, is more likely to have his Cheltenham warm-up at Musselburgh on Sunday rather than the Grade One Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on the same day.
“I’m leaning towards Musselburgh because of the better ground,” he said.
Horse Racing Ireland have confirmed that a replacement fixture will be held at Fairyhouse on Tuesday, February 23rd. It will mean a busy period for the Ratoath track, with racing there also on the 20th and 24th.
