Listener fancied for good Cup run

The Listener is as short as 5-1 for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival following his all-the-way victory in the Hennessy…

The Listener is as short as 5-1 for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival following his all-the-way victory in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.

Although the Leopardstown event was contested over three miles, totesport saw fit to halve his price for the two-mile-five-furlong Ryanair following his five-and-a-half-length verdict over Turko.

With trainer Robert Alner still recovering in hospital after a serious car crash three months ago, it was left to assistant Nick Mitchell to outline possible plans for the nine-year-old.

"He has an entry in the Ryanair and the Gold Cup, and we are going to have to seriously think about it," he said. "We fell short against Denman in the Lexus last time and I can't really see it being turned around, but we will seriously think about the Gold Cup.

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"With Kauto Star and Denman being one and two in the betting they might scare a few away, but he does have enough pace for the Ryanair.

"There was a worry the ground wasn't going to be soft enough but the fact it was dead ground meant it was going to be a test.

"The speculation he wasn't a three-miler after he won the Durkan and before this race is silly really and he has proved that.

"Most horses who win a Hennessy walk up the run-in but he has done it well and pulled away again when they came to him, which is down the ride Daryl (Jacob) gave him.

"It looked like one or two were going to swallow him up three out but he had a little up his sleeve and had more in the tank after the last."

Trainer Paul Nicholls will also consider the options for Turko, with the trainer adding: "That was a career best by a long way. Now we have sorted his breathing he is much better and he is entered up in everything."