Racing: First Gold may tackle Hennessy

French-trained First Gold may line up in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

Trainer Francois Doumen is eyeing the race on February 10 for his star, who has now been displaced as favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

First Gold was a beaten favourite when finishing fourth behind Florida Pearl in the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day, a race he was bidding to win for the second year.

Doumen said that the Hennessy was the "first option" for the nine-year-old, owned by J P McManus, but another possibility was the Aon Chase at Newbury on February 9.

"It's quite ideal timing to prepare him for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham and, having discussed the idea with Mr McManus and his team, we all fancy the idea of going to Leopardstown.

"I've never had a runner over jumps in Ireland," he said.

Florida Pearl and the Frances Crowley-trained Sackville, winner of the Peterhouse Group Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in November, are other possibles in the Hennessy.