Foxrock feature could be smallest

The smallest ever field in the history of the race could line up for Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown after just six horses were left in contention for the hugely prestigious prize yesterday.

In Compliance, the rising star on the Irish steeplechasing scene, has been installed as low as 11 to 10 favourite to make his first attempt at three miles a winning one ahead of a trip to Cheltenham for next month's Gold Cup.

Ranged against him will be The Listener, winner of the Lexus Chase over the course and distance at Christmas, and Beef Or Salmon, winner of the Hennessy last year and in 2003.

The Michael Cunningham-trained Patsy Hall is almost certain to test his novice form against some of the top older chasers around but four runners would mean the smallest ever field for a race that traditionally attracts few numbers.

Beef Or Salmon beat four opponents in 2003 while five runners also lined up in 2002 for Alexander Banquet's victory and in 1988 when Playschool beat Forgive N'Forget in just the second renewal of the race.

In Compliance's trainer, Michael O'Brien, has already stated his other entry, Forget The Past, is being targeted at the Red Mills Chase at Gowran while Beef Or Salmon's stable companion Hi Cloy's first preference is for a race at Ascot the following weekend. However, Michael Hourigan said yesterday: "A small entry like that could possibly change things but basically Hi Cloy is in there in case something happens to Beef Or Salmon. He's the one that's more than likely to run."

Beef Or Salmon missed out on a 10th Grade One success when runner-up to The Listener at Christmas but Hourigan believes his stable star remains at the top level of his form. "I think he is as good as ever. I hope he is anyway. He's certainly in very good form," the Limerick trainer said. "In Compliance is a very good horse but there is a question mark against him staying."

The Listener will travel from Robert Alner's Dorset yard today as he attempts a Grade One Leopardstown double. "It's quite early but it worked at Christmas so why change?" Alner said. "Everything has gone fine with his preparation and they're expecting rain over there so we should be fine. The bookmakers seem to think In Compliance is the big danger but that's just fine by us. We'll just run our race."

Patsy Hall also has an entry in the Grade One PJ Moriarty Novice Chase on the same card but his trainer is favouring a crack at the Hennessy. "He's 95 per cent sure to run in the big race. He is much better at three miles and upwards and the Moriarty is two miles and five. He's a staying chaser and has never won at anything shorter than three miles," Michael Cunningham said.

The Leopardstown authorities said yesterday that they were "not overly surprised" at the small Hennessy turn out. "Usually it's a race that gets small fields anyway and it has been obvious from a while back that the same was going to happen again," said manager Tom Burke. "Obviously we would have liked to get more entries but we are not overly surprised." The ground at Leopardstown is currently yielding to soft but with rain forecast from Thursday into the weekend, no definite predictions are being made about the likely state of the surface.

The hugely-regarded Aran Concerto, rated by Noel Meade as the best he has trained, has been installed a 4 to 6 favourite to successfully complete his Cheltenham preparation in the Grade One Deloitte Novice Hurdle on Saturday.

However, it looks like the favourite for the Ballymore Properties Novice at Cheltenham could be taken on by Catch Me with the latter's trainer Edward O'Grady saying: "He is a possible for Saturday. I said before he wouldn't run in it, but I might change my mind."

Saturday's other Grade One event on a day of major Cheltenham trials is the PJ Moriarty which has 14 entries including Gazza's Girl who has been made a 4 to 1 ante-post favourite by Paddy Power.

The Willie Mullins-trained Jayo could try to re-establish his Triumph Hurdle credentials in the Grade Two Cashmans Juvenile Hurdle for which 13 other entries remain. Jayo was an expensive failure on his last start at Punchestown but won impressively before that at Limerick.

The Cheltenham and Punchestown Festival winner Whyso Mayo is on course for the Raymond Smith Memorial Hunters Chase where the former AIG winner Ned Kelly will be an interesting hunter recruit.

Hennessy Gold Cup betting (Odds courtesy of Paddy Power) : 11-10 In Compliance, 7-4 The Listener, 4 Beef Or Salmon, 20 Patsy Hall.