Joncol goes for Gold

Joncol will aim to add to his Grade One haul in the Guinness Gold Cup at the Punchestown festival.

The Irish Hennessy winner could meet Denman, although Paul Nicholls’ representative has an alternative target in the Scottish Grand National.

Denman’s stablemate What A Friend holds an entry, but he is on target for the totesport Bowl at Aintree.

Cooldine, Carruthers and Barbers Shop are others engaged in the Punchestown feature on April 21.

“Joncol is on course for the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup, all being well,” said his trainer Paul Nolan.

“We gave him a little break after the Hennessy and he is great form at the moment.

“We hit the front very soon at Leopardstown and forced the pace because we were a bit worried about something showing a turn of foot near the end of the race and, looking back, I would say that we might have got it wrong tactically.

“I think that the penny is starting to drop with him – he still wanders around a little bit when he comes off the bridle and I think that will go away with experience.

“He is only seven and I think that he will only get stronger in time.

“He is giving away a few lengths when he hangs under pressure so that is a few pounds of improvement that will come with maturity.

“He has only really run on soft ground and you wouldn’t want to run him on genuinely good ground at this stage of his career because of his size.

“Having said that, he doesn’t seem to hit the ground that hard so he could well handle a faster surface, but I would just like to run him with some cut in the ground at Punchestown.

“When he was third in the Champion Novice Chase at the Festival last year, he pulled his shoe off in the horsebox and walked on two nails, which went right up to the sole of his foot.

“I am not saying that it would have made all of the difference, but it certainly didn’t help his cause.”