Alexander Banquet looks set to provide some heavyweight back-up to his stable companion Florida Pearl in Sunday week's Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
The former Cheltenham festival winner, generally a 20 to 1 chance for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, met with a setback before Christmas which prevented him from taking his chance in the Ericsson, but trainer Willie Mullins now reports Alexander Banquet to be on target for the Hennessy.
"Alexander Banquet is riding out, I'm delighted with him and he is being aimed at Leopardstown," Mullins confirmed yesterday. "I didn't know how he would do before Christmas because sometimes small problems grow into much bigger problems but the plan is now to go for the Hennessy."
Florida Pearl, who will be aiming for a third Hennessy success in a row, pleased Mullins in a piece of work yesterday morning and the Carlow-based trainer's other Hennessy entry, Micko's Dream, will carry topweight in tomorrow's Cuisine de France Thyestes Chase at Gowran.
There will, after all, be a English presence in tomorrow's featured £65,000 race at the Kilkenny track as Micky Hammond yesterday confirmed Luzcadou a runner in the race, with regular jockey Brian Harding in the saddle.
"I discussed it with the owner and he is keen to go to Ireland. There are only six in the handicap at the moment and he likes soft or heavy ground which he is going to get. I hope he runs a good race," said Hammond.
Other significant big-race news is that the Pierse Hurdle winner, Grinkov, will now probably take his chance in Newbury's Tote Gold Trophy on February 10th.
Trainer Pat Hughes had ruled out the English race immediately after the Pierse but said yesterday: "It's a definite option now. The horse is in good shape and it would be hard to get him into another race of that value with 10-5."
Hughes added: "He's got 9-12 at the moment, but it looks like the weights will go up by only 7lb because Martin Pipe has about nine of the top 10 and probably won't want the weights to go up too much. He's come out of the Leopardstown race well and Charlie Swan will ride him again."
Today's action centres on Down Royal, which has been plagued with bad luck regarding the weather this winter. This fixture, however, goes ahead after being postponed from the weekend and it also includes the £25,000 Grade Three Juvenile Hurdle.
Naturally enough, a lot of interest here will centre on Mouse Morris's expensive purchase, Rostropovich, whose first hurdles start resulted in an unspectacular success at Naas three weeks ago. Morris was inclined to blame bad ground for the grey's performance in beating Kadouon by half a length but this looks a stronger contest.
Another chance is given to the soft-ground-loving Hill Port, who has twice been an odds-on failure during his short jumping career but who can now reverse Thurles form with Environment and the Cheltenham failure, Tate Tirol.
Another interesting runner is Dustin, who lumped 11-11 to victory at Clonmel over Christmas only for his jockey Paul Hourigan to fail to weigh in. Donie Hassett's charge has the weight on his back again in the second handicap hurdle but should still be a major player in the race.
Inventor was a 33 to 1 outsider when runner-up to Brush The Flag at Navan last month but had Killultagh Storm and Baltic Magic in behind, and the extra half mile of the beginners' chase should be a plus factor; while Alexander Fourball looks the right option in the opener.
