Alner looks on bright side
Robert Alner’s grey finished a gallant second behind Beef Or Salmon in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday, having looked set to score until tiring late on.
Alner says the race did not take too much out of him, however, and connections will now prepare him for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 16.
“He got back last night and ate up and he’s absolutely none the worse for his efforts,” he said.
“The only time he was under pressure was after the last and he had everything his own way up to the last as well so it wasn’t as gruelling as it could have been.
“It was agony waiting to see whether we would be caught or not but we were and that’s that.
“I was totally happy with how he ran and how he was ridden but the blinkers on Beef Or Salmon had sharpened him up and he jumped much better in that race than he did the race before.
“The race was four seconds faster this time (than the Lexus Chase) and obviously one would have loved to win – but I’m not destroyed as the horse is fine and there are other days.”
Meanwhile, leading Ryanair Chase fancy Racing Demon is to swerve the race and instead take his chance in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The seven-year-old was expected to put the finishing touches to his Festival preparations in the Commercial First Ascot Chase this weekend but, on account of the soft ground, he will not be seen again until March, said trainer Henrietta Knight.
“Everything has been fine with him at home, but the ground is terrible at the moment and I would rather wait for Cheltenham.
“Ringaroses will go straight to Cheltenham too as there is no prep race for him on this ground.”
Ringaroses was one of 46 thrown into the ring for the Ryanair Chase.
Thisthatandtother proved half a length too strong for Fondmort in 2005 and is again entered for the two-mile-five-furlong contest.
Fondmort subsequently prevailed in 2006 and his trainer Nicky Henderson has made three entries this time around in Copsale Lad, Crozan and Mariah Rollins.
In addition to Thisthatandtother, champion trainer Paul Nicholls has left in Gold Cup favourite Kauto Star, Cerium and Taranis.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary owns two possible runners under the Gigginstown House Stud banner in the shape of last year’s Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition and Kill Devil Hill.
Irish-trained horses account for 15 of the entries, including the Michael O’Brien-trained duo of In Compliance and Forget The Past.
Smart novice Schindlers Hunt, successful twice in Grade One company at Leopardstown this season, is a possible starter from Dessie Hughes’ yard.
