He's won the guts of €1 million during a momentous and intriguing career but tomorrow Florida Pearl can also carve himself out a little bit of history.

By Brian O'Connor

Jodami won the Hennessy Gold Cup three times in a row from 1993-95 but the best steeplechaser in Ireland is now on the verge of going one better.

Of course, Florida Pearl being Florida Pearl, it can never be a straight-forward story. A superb King George success under his new rider Adrian Maguire means the horse comes into another Hennessy officially rated half a stone better than any of his opponents.

His previous three victories have been achieved on soft, yielding and heavy ground, so Florida Pearl's versatility is unquestioned.

A total of seven of his 12-career victories have come at Leopardstown so the track is like a second home and his connections are convinced he is better than ever.

Typically, however, there will be plenty itching to take him on in the betting ring.

A principal factor in that will be the ground. Tomorrow's fixture will be the first in 10 days after heavy rain seemed to wash out the country and that cannot be to Florida Pearl's advantage.

However, Willie Mullins said yesterday: "I'm not worried about the ground, or the small field, and we will make our minds up about tactics nearer the time."

Of course, Mullins also has charge of Alexander Banquet who ran Florida Pearl to two lengths in the race last year and this time comes back for another crack on the back of a fine third in the Ericsson.

Last year, Barry Geraghty, who returns from an elbow injury, was convinced Alexander Banquet would have won except for a mistake at the fourth last.

But much of the fascination about Florida Pearl is that he can always inspire hope in the opposition but usually shatters those hopes on the track.

This time round, there will be plenty willing to bet the heavy going will see Rince Ri add to his Pillar Chase victory at Cheltenham last month.

Rince Ri made mistakes and still beat Legal Right, so his chance cannot be discounted. But the going doesn't shake Maguire's faith in Florida Pearl.

"He is no stranger to it, he has won on it and I'm not sure very heavy ground will suit any horse," the jockey said.

Certainly the way Florida Pearl ran for Maguire in the King George was a joy to behold and over Leopardstown's three miles, the old stamina doubts should not rear its head.

And what would Frances Crowley give to have Sackville coming into the race on the back of such an effort?

However she said yesteday: "We've been a little disappointed with his last couple of runs but he seems quite healthy now. We would rather the ground was a little better but they all have to get through it."

Behrajan will try and become the first cross-channel winner of the Hennessy since Jodami. Along with Florida Pearl, he is the shortest priced Gold Cup contender in the ante-post market at 10 to 1.

It's worth betting that that little bit of history will be made en route to another crack at chasing's blue riband.

The Cheltenham significance of this fixture can be judged by even the briefest look at the past winners of the Deloitte and Touche, the Moriarty, the Hunters' Chase and even the bumper.

Truckers Tavern, a three-time, point-to-point winner here, has travelled to Ireland on the back of a Towcester win that had Ferdy Murphy describing him as a future Gold Cup winner.

A Moriarty win is the only way to keep such hopes up.

Like-A-Butterfly has it all to do at the weights for the novice hurdle and maybe Beef Or Salmon can take advantage while the gambled on Turtleback can advertise his Triumph Hurdle claims in the Cashmans Bookmakers Juvenile Hurdle.

THERE are no problems envisaged for Leopardstown, featuring the Hennessy Gold Cup. Leopardstown's racing manager, Tom Burke, said yesterday: "The forecast is not as good as we were first told but we don't envisage any problems. We are expecting a crowd of up to 16,000."