The ante-post market for the Cheltenham Gold Cup is wide open after Dorans Pride's disappointing run at Naas on Saturday. Finishing a tired last of five to Manhattan Castle in the Boyne Handicap Chase was not what bookmakers expected of what had been their 4 to 1 favourite, and Dorans Pride immediately drifted to as high as 7 to 1 behind the new Gold Cup market leader, The Grey Monk.
Afterwards, trainer Michael Hourigan admitted he found it difficult to find an excuse for Dorans Pride, who was conceding 32lb to Manhattan Castle, but, on veterinary examination, the horse was found to be in respiratory distress and samples were taken by the Turf Club vet.
Yesterday, Hourigan reported a clean bill of health for Dorans Pride. "There are no problems. The plan is still to go for the Hennessy but we'll take a couple of blood tests and see how he is in a week's time."
The affect of Saturday's race was such that Sean Graham introduced Florida Pearl, winner of his only race over fences at Leopardstown, into the Gold Cup betting at 16 to 1. Florida Pearl is likely to run next in the £40,000 P J Moriarty Chase over two miles and five furlongs at Leopardstown on February 8th, but his trainer Willie Mullins down-played Gold Cup suggestions yesterday.
"The Gold Cup has never been part of the plan and as of this minute he won't even be entered. It's difficult enough dealing with the top novices, never mind the top Gold Cup horses. It has been done before, but I would find it very hard to send a horse to the Gold Cup with at most only two or three chases under his belt," he said.
The Sun Alliance Chase is uppermost on Mullins's mind for Florida Pearl, who is 7 to 2 with Grahams for the marathon Cheltenham novice event.
February 8th is also Hennessy Gold Cup day, and Dorans Pride will be aimed at the race, where he could clash with Imperial Call and The Grey Monk.
"If everything is OK that's where he goes. Richard (Dunwoody) wasn't hard on him," Hourigan said. "12st will stop a train and he didn't jump well, a bit high. He blew quite hard, even though he only missed two days with the setback, but that's the first time he's run on that type of ground since he won his bumper."
Dunwoody, who despite Dorans Pride's flop had a Saturday bonanza with four winners, was also inclined to blame the ground, which he described as atrocious.
He said: "On that ground, he felt flat. I know he won on the heavy over hurdles but he didn't jump out of it today. When I went short he was slow and when I went long he made mistakes. He did well to stand up at the last when he was out on his feet, and hopefully it's nothing serious with him. Cheltenham, after all, is two months away."
Dorans Pride jumping had been unimpressive, anyway, until a bad mistake at the fourth last finally finished his chance. New Co, getting 40lb, looked all over the winner turning in, but Manhattan Castle made steady ground from the rear to quicken best on the run-in and beat New Co by half a length.
The 6 to 1 winner was not a surprise for Arthur Moore, who commented: "He was entitled to win over his ideal trip, his ideal ground and getting so much weight."
It was the only black spot on a vintage day for Dunwoody. Promalee, however, could have been a fortunate winner of the Slaney Novice Hurdle. Oonagh's Star was upsides and going equally as well at the last when taking a crashing fall, and both Dunwoody and Charlie Swan believed Oonagh's Star would have just edged the finish.
It would have been close but hardly as close as the Liffey Maiden Hurdle, where Dunwoody was at his strongest to just get Cliffs Of Dooneen up by the minimum margin against the wellbacked favourite, Scarvagh, a half brother to Dorans Pride.
"I thought my horse was a certainty, but the more I heard about Scarvagh I became more and more afraid. Richard was a big help but the horse fought well too," said Noel Meade.
