HENNESSEY GOLD CUP: Alexander Banquet is on the verge of attempting a historic Gold Cup-Grand National double after stepping out from Florida Pearl's shadow to win yesterday's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

Not since the legendary Golden Miller in 1936 has a Gold Cup winner also landed the Aintree marathon in the same season but Alexander Banquet's grinding defeat of Behrajan yesterday had his trainer dreaming. "The Gold Cup has always been the objective and if he comes out of that well, he would be a probable runner in the National," said Willie Mullins.

That was enough for Ladbrokes to make Alexander Banquet their new 10 to 1 favourite for Aintree but as for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month, the bookmaker reaction was less definite. Alexander Banquet is as low as 7 to 1 with the British Tote for jump racing's blue riband, but Ladbrokes go 12 to 1 while making yesterday's runner-up Behrajan an 8 to 1 chance. It made little difference to the mood of jockey Barry Geraghty, who returned from a break in South Africa mid-week where he had been recovering from an elbow injury.

"I could see Behrajan closing but we were always going to hold him," said the former champion jockey who was enjoying the biggest success of his career.

The same comment can be applied to Alexander Banquet, a former Cheltenham bumper winner, who nevertheless has never captured the public imagination quite like his stable companion, Florida Pearl.

Yesterday's 6 to 4 favourite failed in his attempt at a fourth Hennessy in a row and struggled home over 25 lengths behind the winner. Mullins made time to excuse Florida Pearl and confirm him on course for the Gold Cup too.

"Adrian (Maguire) said he just couldn't handle the heavy ground. He setttled well at the back, because we didn't want him up there to be pot-shot at, but he disappointed," the winning trainer said.

Nothing finished faster than the runner-up, the English raider Behrajan.