Horse Racing – Irish Hennessy Rescheduled – FreeBetting Sports News

One of the most prestigious fixtures in Irish horse racing, the Hennessey Gold Cup, has been rescheduled due to waterlogging.

Originally intended to take place last Sunday, the premier event is now scheduled to go ahead on Saturday 12th February. The organisers’ apparent eagerness to ensure the fixture takes place as soon as possible illustrates the importance of the Gold Cup to Leopardstown.

Pride of Dulcote, a Hennessy favourite at the top price of 18-1, will probably not feature in Saturday’s revised fixture. Trainer Paul Nicholls hinted that the horse is more likely to head to the Grade One Betfair Chase on the 19th February at Ascot. Being a champion trainer to many horses, however, Nicholls proposed leaving 4-year-old Indian Daudaie, a 33-1 outsider for the Triumph Hurdle, at Leopardstown to take part in the Hennessy.

Paul Nolan, the trainer of last year’s Gold Cup winner, Joncol, further highlighted the importance of the fixture whilst noting the inconvenience of a revised schedule. Nolan said: “Hopefully they will be able to race next week because after that it will probably be too close to Cheltenham for some of the horses. It’s not ideal. Real Gold Cup contenders would not want a real slog over three miles before the Festival. As far as we are concerned the Hennessy is our Cheltenham for Joncol. That’s our aim for the season with him”.

The general manager of Leopardstown, Tom Burke, had hoped to reschedule the Gold Cup for today, but weather reports forecast heavy rain over Dublin until Thursday.