RACING: Florida Pearl has been made a 7 to 4 favourite to rewrite the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup history book at Leopardstown on Sunday.
The Willie Mullins-trained star is bidding for a remarkable fourth Hennessy success in a row and will have a maximum of six opponents trying to stop him.
Currently Florida Pearl shares the top success rate with the English-trained Jodmai, who also won the Hennessy three times from 1993-95.
"Both Florida Pearl and Alexander Banquet are going to Leopardstown. I suppose Florida would prefer better ground but he has won on heavy before," Mullins confirmed after yesterday's forfeit stage.
Just eight horses were left in the Hennessy, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Looks Like Trouble. However, that English-based entry will not be travelling.
"We left him in the race in case we were tempted, but the ground is heavy and he will be in his box on Sunday," Looks Like Trouble's trainer Noel Chance said.
That leaves Behrajan as the only English-trained possible but he also holds an entry in Saturday's Aon Chase at Newbury, and trainer Henry Daly will travel to Leopardstown during the week to check out the ground at the Dublin course.
With the going currently "heavy", Rince Ri was described yesterday as a "likely" Hennessy runner but the situation is less clear regarding his stable companion, Commanche Court.
A horse who will be appearing, however, is Sackville, who has emerged from a hurdles race appearance at Gowran in good shape.
"If it goes ahead, he will run. The ground will be the same for everyone, even if it's horrible, and he seems in good shape," trainer Frances Crowley said.
Barry Geraghty is scheduled to ride Alexander Banquet in the big race and he will be anxious to pass a fitness test after sustaining a hairline fracture of an elbow at Fairyhouse two weeks ago.
"The plan is for Barry to ride Alexander Banquet," confirmed Willie Mullins. The same partnership finished runners-up in last year's Hennessy.
Mullins is also set to be represented in Saturday's Tote Gold Trophy at Newbury, having left Joe Cullen and the Pierse Hurdle winner, Adamant Approach, among the 20 entries left in the race.
"Joe Cullen is the more likely to run but a lot will depend on the weather and the going. We have left Adamant Approach in to have a look but we will decide later in the week if he goes to Newbury or the Deloitte & Touche at Leopardstown," Mullins said.
Cashmans bookmakers bet: 7/4 Florida Pearl, 100/30 Behrajan, 4 Alexander Banquet and Rince Ri, 11/2 Sackville, 18 Lyreen Wonder.
