Jumping the key for Supreme

David Casey is hoping Rule Supreme can put in a clear round of jumping in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Casey, who returns to action after a long lay-off at Clonmel tomorrow, is due to partner the Willie Mullins-trained gelding in the three-mile feature.

Rule Supreme has proved a smart dual-purpose performer, winning the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last year before going on to claim the French Champion Hurdle.

The nine-year-old moved back up to fences last time after three runs over hurdles, contesting the Grade One Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.

Rule Supreme, who was ridden by Barry Geraghty, came unstuck at the last fence when he was still disputing second with Best Mate behind Beef Or Salmon, who reopposes at the weekend.

“Basically, he just lacks a bit of scope. In the early part of the race he’s not so bad but when they tend quicken up a bit and you need a big jump, sometimes it’s not there and that’s what happens,” Casey told At The Races.

“You’ve just got to let him pop when they’re going a bit too quick.”

“I don’t know (if we can reverse the form), it’s going to be difficult. Rule Supreme was five or six lengths down at the last – is there any real reason he turn it around?

“But it’s a different day and a different race and you don’t know what can happen.”

Rule Supreme’s best performance this season came when third in the Long Walk Hurdle at Windsor but Mullins has entered him for both the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Festival.

If he were to take the hurdles route he would clash with Windsor victor Baracouda again but Casey believes Rule Supreme will be better around Cheltenham.

“He ran a super race at Windsor behind Crystal D’Ainay and Baracouda. On the day, I don’t know how you would evaluate the form,” he said.

“I think Cheltenham would suit him a whole lot better than Windsor would,” he added.