Walsh puts his hopes on Neptune Collonges

BRAVE INCA filled in a big-race blank for Ruby Walsh in the Irish Champion Hurdle nine days ago and the champion jockey will be hoping Neptune Collonges can do the same in this Sunday’s Hennessy Gold Cup.

The Paul Nicholls-trained grey heads the ante-post betting for the centrepiece of this weekend’s triple Grade One fixture in a race which ante-post betting indicates is set to be dominated by British- trained horses.

Last year’s winner The Listener and Exotic Dancer, victor in the Lexus over the Leopardstown course and distance at Christmas, look like also being in the British line-up after today’s important forfeit stage.

However, few will be more aware of Willie Mullins’s remarkable Hennessy record over the last decade than Walsh and Ireland’s champion trainer could yet attempt to secure a seventh win in the race with last year’s third Snowy Morning.

“I’m not sure of what’s going to run yet so I’ll decide about running him in the morning. I’ll wait and see before making plans,” Mullins said yesterday.

The appropriately named Snowy Morning is currently a 16 to 1 shot with Paddy Power after looking to be out of contention when exiting, along with Neptune Collonges, at the second last in the Lexus.

However, he did run Neptune Collonges to seven lengths in last year’s Punchestown Gold Cup, which came just a few weeks after Snowy Morning finished third to Comply Or Die in the Grand National.

Mullins is understandably a fan of Sunday’s big race, having won it four times with Florida Pearl as well as with Alexander Banquet and Rule Supreme.

Surprisingly, though, his stable jockey, Walsh, was on board none of them, with Richard Dunwoody, Paul Carberry and Richard Johnson (twice) on Florida Pearl and Barry Geraghty and David Casey teaming up with the other two.

Mullins also has the option of running Hurricane Fly and Cousin Vinny in Sunday’s Deloitte Novice Hurdle, a race he won 10 ago with Alexander Banquet, while Cooldine is a possible for the Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase.

That looks like attracting some of the cream of Ireland’s novice talent and Edward O’Grady yesterday confirmed that Tranquil Sea is being targeted at it.

Tranquil Sea hasn’t been seen since finishing out of the frame in November’s Drinmore at Fairyhouse but is reported in good shape ahead of his comeback.

“At the moment the plan is to run in the Moriarty,” O’Grady said yesterday before also outlining plans for his Grade One winning hurdler Catch Me.

“He will probably run in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan next,” O’Grady added. “We will see what happens in the Boyne before deciding where he will go but as regards Cheltenham it will all depend on the ground.”

Catch Me holds an entry in the Champion Hurdle in which he ran sixth to Katchit last year and is a 20 to 1 shot with Paddy Power for the World Hurdle over three miles.

Brave Inca’s trainer Colm Murphy will be hoping for a second Grade One prize in a fortnight on Sunday when he sends Zaarito to post for the Deloitte.

“Luckily enough he doesn’t need much work so we will just keep him ticking over. I’m very happy with him,” Murphy said of his former bumper star who is as low as 12 to 1 for the Supreme at Cheltenham.

The Co Wexford trainer also reported Big Zeb to have emerged unscathed from his fall at Punchestown on Sunday.

“I’m not sure if he will go straight to Cheltenham or try and get another run into him. But there aren’t many options. I’m not too worried. It’s only a minor hiccup and he is fairly straightforward. He made a little jumping error and paid the price,” Murphy said.

Also in line for a Deloitte appearance are the Tom Mullins-trained pair, Oscar Dan Dan and Time Electric, who fell when favourite in a maiden at Leopardstown nine days ago.

“Time Electric has come out of his fall and he will be okay. It was disappointing he came down as it looked a good opportunity,” Mullins said yesterday.