O'Neill still keen on leader

Trainer Jonjo O’Neill is expecting a great run from Keen Leader when he takes on Best Mate in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup next week.

The eight-year-old, who will be reunited with Barry Geraghty, is a best-priced 14-1 to prevent the favourite completing an historic hat-trick.

O’Neill said: “Touch wood, Keen Leader is in great form and if I can get him there like he is at the moment, he will run a great race.

“He has done nothing wrong. He can jump sometimes and he looks as if he can’t really jump other times, but you are not going to change him now.

“I think they will go a better gallop than they did at Newbury (where he was third on his latest outing) and he’ll get into a rhythm. That will be better for him. He’s a good cruiser and he’s a good horse. I haven’t lost faith in him at all.”

But he warned: “What can beat Best Mate? If he goes there bang on target, he’ll be very difficult to beat.

“Best Mate is a very accurate jumper and a great traveller. He does everything right and he loves Cheltenham. They have done a great job, a great, great job with him. I wish they’d have done a diabolical job!”

It is 18 years since the three-times champion jockey brought Dawn Run home to complete a memorable Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup double, and the pair are immortalised in bronze overlooking the parade ring at Cheltenham.

Keen Leader will be O’Neill’s first runner as a trainer in chasing’s blue riband when he lines up next Thursday.

He added: “Dawn Run winning the Gold Cup was just a magic day. If we can turn up one for the books again, that would be great. If Keen Leader won the Gold Cup this year, it would top them all!”

Geraghty has ridden Keen Leader just once in his 13-race career, when winning the Tommy Whittle Chase by 17 lengths from last season’s Gold Cup runner-up Truckers Tavern at Haydock in December.

Stable jockey Liam Cooper was on board for 11 of his starts, including his latest run when a staying-on third to Shooting Light in the Aon Chase.

“Barry rode him very well at Haydock,” said O’Neill. “Liam has looked after him really well and got him where he is today.

“We all felt Barry might be a bigger, stronger fella – and that’s about it. He has jumped very well for Liam as well. It is a very arguable point, but anyhow, we decided to put Barry on this time.

“Liam is a grand lad and has been a professional. The door is always open. The horse and the owner have been very good to him, so he hasn’t got a problem.”