Connections of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised have not ruled out a crack at next month’s John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree.

You’d imagine JP McManus has spent much of his life hoping to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and yesterday at Cheltenham it all came right, when Tony McCoy brought the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Synchronised with an irresistible challenge to beat outsider The Giant Bolster and last year’s winner, Long Run.

Nicky Henderson had no excuses for the defeat of reigning Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Long Run.

Kauto Star is only “50-50” to make the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup after a fall when schooling last week, according to trainer Paul Nicholls.

THE defections of Synchronised and Quito De La Roque have greatly enhanced my prospects of winning the Hennessy Gold Cup on Quel Esprit at Leopardstown tomorrow.

WILLIE MULLINS’ Quel Esprit is the 5-2 favourite with Boylesports and Paddy Power for Sunday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown

A final decision on whether Synchronised will line up in Sunday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown will be made by Thursday.

DESSIE HUGHES has made no secret of the regard in which he holds Minsk, his high-profile recruit off the level from John Oxx.

DESSIE HUGHES is looking forward to saddling Magnanimity in the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup next month after being delighted with his comeback run at Leopardstown.

Denman appeared among 17 contenders for the Lexus Chase as the entries for the major races at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival were published.

JONJO O’NEILL’S Synchronised, the Welsh Grand National winner, heads a 51-strong list of initial acceptors for the €250,000 Ladbrokes’ Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.

GRAND National-winning jockey Robbie Power believes the bookmakers have got it wrong regarding his mount Killyglen in Saturday’s John Smith’s sponsored spectacular at Aintree.

TWENTY-FOUR horses, and all the big names, remain in the reckoning at the latest forfeit stage for next month’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

James Motherway has been forced to rule Bluesea Cracker out of Saturday’s rearranged Coral Welsh National at Chepstow.