RACING:BRITISH CHAMPION jumps trainer Paul Nicholls secured a big race double on his last Irish raid and Pride Of Dulcote is set to head another Nicholls Grade One assault across the Irish Sea on Sunday in the Hennessy Gold Cup.
Leopardstown’s €180,000 feature will be just a third start over fences for Pride Of Dulcote but he has been installed a 7 to 4 market leader with Paddy Power to account for some of Ireland’s best staying chasers this weekend.
The Nicholls star, who will be ridden by Nick Scholfield, is one of 11 entries left in the Hennessy after yesterday’s forfeit stage and he could be joined at the Dublin track by the four-year-old Indian Daudaie who has been left in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle.
That is one of four Grade One races due to be run off on Sunday and the hugely lucrative pre-Cheltenham meeting looks like provoking Nicholls into a first visit to Ireland since Kauto Star and The Nightingale scored at Down Royal three months ago.
“Pride Of Dulcote worked this morning and went very well. He’s in very good form. He’s had a nice bit of time between his races as he didn’t run at all last season so we’ll get Sunday out of the way and see where we are with him. Nick Scholfield will ride him,” Nicholls said yesterday.
Although there was good Gold Cup news for Irish fans yesterday when the Lexus winner Pandorama was cleared for a tilt at Cheltenham next month, hopes of keeping the Hennessy prize at home were being seen yesterday in the perspective of Pride Of Dulcote’s participation.
The Hennessy title-holder Joncol is expected to improve from a Lexus third to Pandorama but his trainer Paul Nolan is very aware of a cross-channel challenge which could also include the 2008 winner, The Listener, and Nicky Richards’ Money Trix.
“Joncol has to improve to win this race, but hopefully he will, although Pride Of Dulcote is a 14 to 1 chance for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and is a worthy favourite who will take some beating. As he is a Paul Nicholls-trained horse, you have to respect him,” said Nolan.
“It’s hard to assess Pride Of Dulcote’s form, but the Irish horses seem to have been a stone behind the English stayers for the last couple of years,” added the Co Wexford trainer said yesterday.
Money Trix has been a regular visitor to Ireland in the last couple of seasons and the grey will be back for another run around Leopardstown’s three-mile track.
“It looks a very good race. I don’t think there’s a lot between him and Joncol and you always have to be worried about whatever Mr Nicholls runs. But our horse is very well and hopefully everything goes well for him,” said Nicky Richards.
“He disappointed in this race last year but when he came home he had a small fracture around a joint and you can always forgive a horse one bad run. The Lexus was his first run back so he should come on a little bit fitness wise.”
Money Trix’s best form is on a heavy surface and although the going at Leopardstown yesterday was “yielding to soft”, weather conditions are due to get milder this week.
Willie Mullins has a record six Hennessy victories already under his belt and the in-form champion trainer will run both Cooldine and Kempes.
A total of 11 entries also remain in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle and Paul Nicholls has kept open the option of running the ex-French Indian Daudie against some of the best Irish four-year-olds seen out this season.
Indian Daudie was third on his debut in Britain on Saturday behind Local Hero in a Grade Two but faces a big task against the Sailor’s Warn and Unaccompanied.
PADDY POWER’S HENNESSY BETTING: 7-4 Pride Of Dulcote, 5-2 Joncol, 6 Cooldine, 7 Money Trix, 10 Kempes, 12 China Rock and The Listener, 33 Let Yourself Go, 40 bar.
