Irish staying chasers a motley bunch

If getting a few quid backing Quel Esprit in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown last Sunday then how good a race it actually was will not, understandably, have been of the slightest importance to you.

But the comfortable success of the grey didn’t half emphasise what a lack of real talent there is among our staying chasers.

The horses which lined up for this sub-standard Grade 1 were the best we had to offer, with the exception of Quito De La Roque, who didn’t exactly set the word alight when a well beaten third behind Synchronised in the Lexus at Leopardstown at Christmas.