O’Brien holds strong hand in Hennessy
The second-season novice has always been held in the highest esteem by his trainer and although he was a little disappointing a couple of times at the end of the last campaign, he has been faultless this time around.
After winning easily at Down Royal, he then readily defeated Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase in December.
Installed as the 5-4 market leader with William Hill and Boylesports, with Cashmans going 11-8, this will be his first attempt at three miles and he will be joined by his stablemate Forget The Past, who is also owned by Sean Mulryan.
Hardly a slouch himself, last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup third has also been in fine form this season, winning well in the Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles last month.
O’Brien said: “They will both run. Barry Geraghty will ride In Compliance, while Andrew Lynch will ride the other fellow. They are fine and I don’t think the extra distance will be a problem for In Compliance.”
Just four other horses have been declared at the five-day stage for the Grade One Chase, which also sees the return of Robert Alner’s The Listener, who scored a rare British jumping victory on Irish soil when depriving Beef Or Salmon of a fourth Lexus Chase over course and distance after Christmas.
Alner is adopting the same approach as in the Lexus by getting the long journey from his Dorset base to Dublin out of the way early.
He reports the mud-loving eight-year-old to be in fine form and said: “He’s very much on course and is going over there tomorrow.
“We did that last time, as the ferry would not go on Christmas or Boxing Day.
“It is quite early to go but it worked out then, so why change it?
“Everything has gone fine with his preparation and they could be forecast a bit of rain, so the ground should be fine.
“I haven’t looked at the race closely, but the bookmakers seem to be saying In Compliance is the big danger.
“But that’s fine by us, we’ll just run our race.”
Alner’s hopes for a suitable racing surface were confirmed by Leopardstown general manager Tom Burke, who reported: “We are yielding to soft at the moment and soft in places.
“It is forecast to be dry up until Wednesday, when the weather will change. We are set for rain later in the week, although there is no indication quite how much we will get yet, but we will probably be soft by the weekend.”
The Michael Hourigan-trained Beef Or Salmon also returns having won this race twice before – including last year when he beat Hedgehunter, who is missing after Willie Mullins warned he was not 100% satisfied with his well-being.
Hourigan could run the useful Hi Cloy too, who would be stepping up in trip from his usual distances. The novice Patsy Hall completes the sextet.
Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup
William Hill bet: 5-4 In Compliance, 7-4 The Listener, 3-1 Beef Or Salmon, 6-1 Forget The Past, 20-1 Hi Cloy, 25-1 Patsy Hall.
