Young pretenders go head-to-head at Leopardstown
Next month is an exciting one for jumping fans and the main pretender to Best Mate’s Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup crown is likely to emerge after a showdown at Leopardstown on February 9.
For that is when Peter Beaumont’s Hussard Collonges clashes with exciting young Irish novice Beef Or Salmon in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.
Beaumont knows exactly what it takes to win this race, having done so with Jodami in 1993, 1994 and 1995, and Hussard Collonges certainly looks capable of picking up a big staying prize.
He has run with great credit, albeit without getting his head in front, in three starts this term, and just failed to give 15lb to the well-regarded Truckers Tavern at Haydock on his latest outing.
But he faces a really stern examination against Michael Hourigan’s seven-year-old novice, who is unbeaten in three starts over fences and slammed subsequent winner Colonel Braxton by six lengths in the Ericsson Chase at this track last time, prompting a dramatic reduction of his odds for Cheltenham glory in March.
The big betting race of the month takes place at Newbury the previous day.
The Berkshire track stages the £110,000 (€167,000) Tote Gold Trophy, for which Nicky Henderson’s hat-trick seeking Non So heads the ante-post markets.
Main supporting contest on the Newbury card is the £70,000 (€106,000) AON Chase, where more Gold Cup hopefuls, including Truckers Tavern, will bid to enhance their Cheltenham claims.
Feature meeting on the 16th is at Ascot, with the Grade One Ritz Club Chase and Amlin Reynoldstown Chase the highlights.
The Reynoldstown could be particularly significant with a view to Cheltenham as French ace Jair Du Cochet bids to justify his position as hot favourite for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase.
But the race could well be more competitive than usual as the winner of both the Ascot and Cheltenham races would land a £100,000 (€152,000) bonus for connections.
Staying will be the name of the game for the Tote Eider National at Newcastle the same day as more than a few old favourites tackle the gruelling four miles and a furlong trip.
And the Racing Post Chase at Kempton on February 22 ensures the month ends on a high as excitement nears fever pitch with Cheltenham and the three-day Festival only a matter of weeks away.
