Munster Express Online

There’s just one place to be this Sunday and that’s at Leopardstown for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup fixture, undoubtedly one of this country’s best national hunt meetings of the entire year.

The Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, an event that was first staged in 1987 and which now carries a total prize fund of some €180,000, is likely to be owned by a Waterford-owned horse this year in the Paul Nolan-trained Joncol.

Carrying the colours of Mrs Kay Browne from Waterford city, Joncol has developed into one of this country’s top staying chasers. This is readily borne out by the fact that the son of former Kilbarry Lodge Stud stallion Bob’s Return was only beaten less than two lengths into third spot by What A Friend and Money Trix in the Grade 1 Lexus Chase at this same venue over the Christmas period.

Indeed, it can be argued that Joncol didn’t aid his cause by trying to make all the running against some vastly more experienced opponents on that occasion and it’s to his credit that he still stayed on for third spot. If anything, he actually emerged with an enhanced reputation from the ‘Lexus’ and, whilst it’s a big thing to say, the seven-year-old fits the profile of a horse that with the necessary luck could actually win a Cheltenham Gold Cup in the years ahead.

The likelihood is that the Joncol will be ridden with more restraint on this occasion and the Deise horse receives the nod to be led back into the coveted number one slot a little after 3. 45 pm on Sunday afternoon. In all probability, Nicky Richards’ Lexus Chase runner-up Money Trix is the one for the forecast.

There are three other Grade 1 events to choose from on Sunday and Weapon’s Amnesty looks the part in an admittedly open-looking Dr P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase over two miles five furlongs.

The Charles Byrnes-trained Weapon’s Amnesty, winner of the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Cheltenham festival, showed that he’s one of our best novice chasers when losing out by the shortest of short heads to Pandorama in the Grade 1 Knight Frank Memorial Novice Chase over three miles at Leopardstown on December 28th.

Weapon’s Amnesty, sporting the familiar War Of Attrition colours of Gigginstown House Stud, lost nothing in defeat on that occasion and the Presenting-sired gelding should have most to fear here from Aranleigh.

If the ‘Dr P.J. Moriarty’ has a wide open appearance, the same remark can’t be applied to another of the afternoon’s Grade 1 events, the Deloitte Novice Hurdle as Philip Fenton’s stable-star Dunguib cannot be realistically opposed.

Dunguib really caught the public’s imagination in bumpers last season and in truth, he never even came out of second gear when cruising home in the 2009 Cheltenham Festival bumper. Similarly, Dunguib hasn’t been tested on his three hurdle starts this winter.

On his most recent foray, the Presenting-sired gelding had little more than an exercise stroll when beating Some Present by seven lengths with regular partner Brian O’Connell in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse on December 2nd. A true champion if ever there was one, Dunguib should continue on his merry way here by excelling from Whodoyouthink.

Carlito Brigante will surely go close in the opening Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle. He made his first start for trainer Gordon Elliot a winning one by springing a 20/1 surprise with Davy Russell in a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle at this same venue on December 26th. Carlito Brigante ultimately beat Alaivan by 11 lengths on that occasion and the Haafhd-sired gelding is recommended to outpoint the hat-trick seeking Pittoni here.

Bobs Display, yet another winner at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day, should continue trainer Colm Murphy’s excellent run by disposing of Cool Quest in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Mares Handicap Hurdle and Pom Flyer could spring a mild surprise by getting the better of Penny’s Bill in the Kieran O’Connell Europe’s Best Tipster Handicap Hurdle.

It could be a really profitable afternoon for Waterford-trained horses as Roger McGrath’s Kilty Storm, a dual point-to-point winner already this season, has Agus A Vic to beat in the coveted Raymond Smith Memorial Hunters Chase. The Conor O’Dwyer-trained Kildare Blowin meanwhile is likely to oblige from Frawley in the closing Ladbrokes Cheltenham Bumper Series (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.