Adrian Maguire will ride Florida Pearl in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown next month, it was revealed today.
Maguire rode the Willie Mullins-trained gelding for the first time in the Pertemps King George VI Chase victory at Kempton Park on St Stephen’s Day.
"Adrian has been booked for the Hennessy," Mullins confirmed.
"I was very pleased with the King George and Florida Pearl seems to have come out of the race great.
"We've had so much frost here we weren't able to let him out in the paddock so he's been ridden out and he's in tremendous form.
"The all-weather gallop hadn't frozen at all and we were able to work through."
Maguire became available when his original mount, Paris Pike, was ruled out of the Hennessy through injury.
Florida Pearl is currently a 12-1 chance with Coral for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Mullins will attempt to land another big prize in the UK when he sends Killultagh Storm over for the Stg£60,000 Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot on Saturday.
Arthur Moore's Jeffell was the last Irish-trained horse to land the Grade Two contest back in 1998.
The weights for this year's renewal are set to go up by at least 15lb which would put the Irish runner on 10st 5lb.
"That should suit us and we'd prefer goodish ground for him," remarked Mullins. "Ruby Walsh will probably ride. I think that's the plan."
PA