Prince in frame for Irish Hennessy

Noble Prince is likely to be given a tentative entry in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 12.

Paul Nolan’s smart chaser has been campaigned over shorter distances so far this season and was an excellent second to Big Zeb at Leopardstown over Christmas.

The eight-year-old has the two-mile-five-furlong Ryanair Chase as his Cheltenham Festival target, and Nolan must now decide whether to stick to shorter for his prep run, or step up to three miles for the first time in the Hennessy.

He said: “He’ll be entered in the Normans Grove Chase in Fairyhouse, and he could also be entered in the Hennessy.

“The Normans Grove is over two miles and a furlong and the Hennessy is obviously three miles, so those are the options.

“If the ground at Leopardstown came up nice like it was at Christmas then the Hennessy could be a possibility.

“The only worry with that is that it could come too close to Cheltenham, so we’ll see.”