RACING/Hennessey Gold Cup: Willie Mullins stood in the winners enclosure, engulfed by a hungry media pack, and admitted to "mixed feelings" following Alexander Banquet's gutsy Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup success at Leopardstown yesterday.
The trainer's slightly rueful smile was understandable considering Florida Pearl's failure to win Ireland's most prestigious chase for a unique fourth time in a row. But there was the consolation of Mullins's own four in a row.
"The more it rained during the week, the more Alexander Banquet came into this, especially after what he did last year," he explained.
"To finish second off the preparation he had then meant he had to have a big chance this time."
Alexander Banquet proved the theory right, overhauling Rince Ri in a prolonged battle up the straight before repelling the late effort of the English radier Behrajan.
Florida Pearl had been held up and appeared to be travelling strongly on the turn in only to fade quickly and probably reopen a whole new round of stamina debates.
"That's the first time he hasn't handled the ground and I've no excuse for him. I'm disappointed but he will be back and on good ground at Cheltenham I think he will be alright," Mullins said.
Ladbrokes, however, sent Florida Pearl's Gold Cup price all the way out to 20 to 1 while indicating their belief that Alexander Banquet's best chance of further Grade One glory lies in the Aintree National.
Significantly there was no hesitation among the connections of the others yesterday about having another crack at the winner in the Gold Cup.
"I am delighted with him. He just got done for toe at an important stage," said Behrajan's trainer, Henry Daly.
Rince Ri's trainer, Ted Walsh, reported: "It was real slog. I think I might put blinkers on my horse at Cheltenham."
Barry Geraghty will again be on Alexander Banquet at the Festival where an unfortunate run of injuries for the horse began in the SunAlliance Hurdle three years ago.
"He chipped a knee that day and I think this is the first time since he won the Deloitte Hurdle here that he has been fully right. The extra quarter mile in the Gold Cup off a fast pace should suit him," Mullins added.
This year's Deloitte fell to the unbeaten Like-A-Butterfly who made it seven from seven despite conceding weight all round. However, a decision about whether she goes for the Supreme Novices' or the SunAlliance at the Festival has yet to be made.
"Why should I throw one of them away now," said Christy Roche who added: "Cheltenham should suit her: she has the pace to lie up and she stays well, so the dream goes on!" However, the best surface Like-A-butterfly has raced on is yielding and Charlie Swan admitted: "She handles the soft so well, you have to worry about she will do on fast ground."
Newhall, beaten half a length in the Juvenile Hurdle, got the race in the stewards' room when Scolardy was judged to have improved his position by barging his way off the rail after the second last. Solardy's rider, Ruby Walsh, got a one-day ban for careless riding.
Harbour Pilot was cut to as low as 7 to 1 with Powers for the SunAlliance when beating Truckers Tavern in the Moriarty for trainer Noel Meade and jockey Paul Carberry, while the hot favourite Sheltering got run out of the hunters chase by Ten Poundsworth after Joe Blake looked to lose the race with a last fence fall.
The Galway Man will join Supreme Developer in Tony Mullins's Cheltenham bumper team following a 12 length win in the last. The runner up Whitworth Ben ran a remarkable race, being almost pulled up three furlongs out, before running on spectacularly up the straight.
Yesterday's meeting attracted a bumper crowd of 16,592.
