The Listener primed to roast Beef

THE LISTENER gets a confident vote to run his rivals ragged in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup Chase at Leopardstown this afternoon.

He is currently on offer around the 10-1 mark for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Robert Alner’s gelding can emphasise he is very much a live candidate for National Hunt racing’s greatest prize.

The progressive eight-year-old showed his liking for this track with a brilliant display in the Lexus Chase at Christmas. His jumping, not the horse’s strongest point previously, was superb as he led or disputed from the start.