RACING:CONFIDENCE IS growing at Leopardstown that Saturday's Hennessy Gold Cup card will be able to go ahead without further interruption from the weather, although the current testing ground is not ideal for one of the big-race hopefuls, China Rock.
Trainer Mouse Morris intends to leave a decision on China Rock’s participation until tomorrow morning when final declarations have to be made, as he believes the horse is better on a faster surface than the “heavy” at Leopardstown. China Rock is a 10 to 1 shot in some lists despite being officially the joint top-rated entry for the race with the English hopeful, Money Trix. Both are rated 158, 1lb ahead of the current favourite Joncol and a couple of pounds clear of the 2008 Hennessy winner, The Listener. “He is a very good horse and our plan is to go to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup with him,” Morris said yesterday. “What I don’t want is to get into a slogging match on heavy ground because we all know he is better on good ground. We will probably leave a decision until Friday.”
China Rock hasn’t been seen since finishing third to Kauto Star and Sizing Europe in the JN Wine Champion Chase at Down Royal in early November, but prior to that had won a pair of Grade Twos. It is highly doubtful he will get his favoured surface on Saturday, but at least the prestigious card that features four Grade One races looks set to go ahead.
“We only got 5mm of overnight rain and, while it is dull and overcast today, we are only getting spits of rain. We’re heavy, but still fine,” Leopardstown manager Tom Burke said. “Thursday is supposed to be dry with some rain on Friday, but they are not forecasting huge amounts for the Dublin area. There could be frost Friday night, so for now at the moment it is looking positive.”
One definite Mouse Morris Grade One runner on Saturday will be Tillahow, who goes in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle. The four-year-old beat Fearless Falcon at Punchestown a month ago. “It was soft that day so I don’t think the ground will matter to him,” Morrissaid. Tillahow is a 14 to 1 shot behind favourites Unaccompanied and Indian Daudaie.
Murtagh gets first taste of Meydan
GORDON Elliott’s Cheltenham Champion Bumper fancy Bold Optimist is out for the rest of the season. The Leopardstown Christmas bumper winner had been as low as 10 to 1 for the festival.
JOHNNY Murtagh will experience Dubai’s Meydan racecourse for the first time today with three rides at the $1 billion track, writes Brian O’Connor. Murtagh will ride as the Aga Khan’s retained jockey in Ireland this year after resigning from Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle yard in November. Murtagh rides Iver Bridge Lad for John Ryan in a seven-furlong handicap this evening, and the Michael Dods-trained pair of Sweet Lightening and Rain Delayed in another pair of handicap races.
