| Leopardstown reveals Cheltenham clues
BY DAVID THORPE
The Leopardstown February meeting always provides a major hint about the
strength of Ireland’s Cheltenham challenge.
The Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup is the highlight though this traditional Gold
Cup trial has a pedestrian look to it this year with Beef Or Salmon looking
head and shoulders above the rest. Only the Noel Meade- trained Harbour
Pilot looks remotely above handicap class.
Micheal Hourigan’s Beef Or Salmon has a fine record and is the almost
certain winner barring a fall but you’re unlikely to see the winner of the
Cheltenham Gold Cup in Sunday’s line-up.
The supporting races are the PJ Moriarty Novice Chase and the Deloiite
Novice Hurdle. Noel Meade has an astonishing brea-
dth of talent in the Novice Hurdle Division this year and he has multiple
entries in the Deloitte.
The best of his declared runners looks to be Ikitiaaf but whichever of the
Meade horses is ridden by Paul Carberry on the day is the likely winner.
The PJ Moriarty Chase is the most difficult of the three to call. Paul
Nolan’s Kill Devil Hill looks the pick on form with the Eddie
O’Grady-trained Back In Front and Our Ben from the Willie Mullins yard
likely to be the serious challengers. Preference is for Kill Devil Hill as
the horse with the least to prove though he will be a short price.
A nice each-way choice is the Jessie Harrington-trained Bruto Facie. The
Moone yard is back in form and this horse ran well recently.
Either way we’ll be a lot wiser about Ireland’s Cheltenham prospects by
sunset on Sunday.
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