Grade One races at Leopardstown

an exceptionally strong card at Leopardstown today in which many of Ireland´s leading hopes for Cheltenham will be running. The field for the Hennessy Gold Cup at 16.50 CET includes the first two from last season´s controversial Gold Cup finish - Lord Windermere (Jim Cullotty/ Davy Russell) and On His Own (Willie Mullins/ Ruby Walsh); most of these runners have met before., including in the Lexus Chase where On His Own was runner-up, with Boston Bob (Mullins/ Paul Townend), Carlingford Lough (Jon Kiely/ Tony McCoy), First Lieutenant (Mouse Morris/ Bryan Cooper) and Lord Windermere all behind, while First Lieutenant was third here last year (and has a good course record) ahead of Texas Jack (Noel Meade/ Paul Carberry) and Lord Windermere. New kid on the block is Foxrock (Ted Walsh( Adrian Heskin), an impressive handicap winner here last time, and almost any of these could win. The ground is getting better which will suit Lord Windermere and we hope that he can put down a marker for Cheltenham.

The otjher Grade Onbes are the 4yo hurdle at 14.15, the Deloitte Novice Hudle an hour later and the novice chase at 15.45 and Willlie Mulins has multiple entries in all 3, including several already well backed for Cjheltenham, such as Kalkir (Walsh) in the first-named and Valseur Lido (Cooper) in the last-named, who will probably be warm favourites today. The Deloitte looks tricky, with Mullins saddling Alvisio Ville (McCoy) for JP, Nichols Canyon (Walsh) for Ricci, as well as Sempre Medici (Townend) and McKinley (David Casey). We shall desert the stable and go for Dermot Weld´s two runners, Silver Concorde (Robbie McNamara) and Windsor Park (Russell), who could complete a big race double for Dr. Lambe, also owner of Lord Windermere; Silver Concorde, winner of the Cheltenham Champion Bumper, is our selection.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Vercingetorix - Petite Parisienne - Officieux
2. Race: Mount Corkish Girl - I`m All You Need - Josephine Marcus
3. Race: Nichols Canyon - Windsor Park - Silver Concorde
4. Race: Le Vent D`antan - Jarry D`honneur - Adriana Des Mottes
5. Race: Blue Hell - Captain Carleton - Hisaabaat
6. Race: Boston Bob - Carlingford Lough - Foxrock
7. Race: On The Fringe - Salsify - Mossey Joe
8. Race: Archive - Heron Heights - Ben Button