Following the retirement of the Gold Cup winner Mr Mulligan, Dorans Pride has been cut to 5 to 1 favourite for this season's blue riband of chasing. However, Dorans Pride's old rival Danoli is on the first steps of a comeback that will see him reappear in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 8th.
Danoli's trainer Tom Foley reports that his stable star has been back in work for two weeks which is too late for him to run over Christmas but a second Hennessy success is still on.
"It has to be the Hennessy because there's nothing else really for him. I'm not going to put him in a handicap, giving three stone away. I'm not disappointed about him not racing at the moment because the ground isn't right anyway," Foley said yesterday of the ever popular Danoli who hasn't run since finishing lame in last March's Gold Cup.
"With Punchestown opened up for schooling, I'll be able to take him there as well as Gowran and I've been promised a school around Leopardstown. He may not have a race before the Hennessy but I'm happy I'll get him there right. All the same, I'd rather win the English Gold Cup this time. Last year, we got the Gold Cup we wanted because it's special to win at home but now we'd like to think we can win at Cheltenham," Foley added. The Co Carlow trainer expressed regret at the retirement of Mr Mulligan saying: "It's sad but it just shows working with horses is a week to week thing. We've been lucky to make it to Cheltenham four times but with good horses so scarce, it's not good to see the likes of Mr Mulligan leaving."
Danoli is currently a 20 to 1 shot with Paddy Power for the Cheltenham Gold Cup but they cut Dorans Pride a point to 5 to 1 yesterday. They then go 11 to 2 Suny Bay and 8 to 1 The Grey Monk with Addington Boy, Imperial Call and Simply Dashing all on 16 to 1.
Copper Boy made an exciting debut over fences at Newbury last month when taking the scalp of Martin Pipe's multiple-scorer Northern Starlight and should prove much too good for his rivals in the Dalgety Seamans-ICI Novices' Chase at Fakenham today.
Bob Buckler rates his charge highly and having shown a tendency to jump to his left at Newbury, the son of Nearly A Hand is another who should enjoy the layout at the Norfolk venue.
Lightly-raced, there is probably still some improvement in the tank, and Copper Boy can prove too quick for main rival Lord Rooble and take this on his way to greater things.
Gold Pigeon is fancied to land the Derek Charles Audi Handicap Chase at Market Rasen. A late developing type - she made her racecourse debut at six - Gold Pigeon made steady progress last term.
After landing a small contest at Catterick, she ran two more solid races, finishing two and a half lengths second to Coverdale Lane over three miles and a furlong at Wetherby, followed by a close third to Hudson Bay Trader at Hexham - over four miles.
Gold Pigeon returned to action at Catterick last month and battled on to be five lengths second to Billsbrook, with the pair 24 lengths clear. This is a tricky little race but Gold Pigeon, a likeable sort, has conditions to suit.
Grey Shot makes his eagerly-awaited hurdles debut in the Somerset County Gazette Novices' Hurdle at Taunton and can make a winning start on his introduction to the National Hunt game.
Although he faces rivals with winning form to their name, nothing in the field has Flat form anything like the calibre of Grey Shot.
