Nolan says Joncol needs to improve to win Hennessey again
Joncol’s trainer, Paul Nolan believes that the colt, who won the Irish Hennessey Gold Cup in 2010, needs to put in a better performance to win the race again this year. The Irish Hennessey Gold Cup will be held on Sunday at Leopardstown.
Under the care of owner Kay Browne, Joncol is second to Pride Of Dulcote in the Hennessy betting. Joncol is one of the eleven racehorses that have been allowed to participate in the event and will compete with the likes of Money
Trix, Pride Of Dulcote, Cooldine and The Listener.
Cooldine, who was defeated by Joncol in the feature event 12 months ago, is among the entrants for this year’s race at Leopardstown. Joncol heads off into Sunday’s race after having finished a creditable third in December’s Grade
1 Lexus Chase, which was held on the same course and over the same distance.
Nolan was quite satisfied with Joncol’s performance at the Lexus chase, as the horse had been recovering from an infection in his hind leg. Due to the infection, Joncol was left on an almost four-month injury break, which led to
the horse getting rusty in his performance.
However, Nolan believes that the imposing eight-year-old is in good shape and is hoping history will repeat itself again this weekend. Speaking of tough competitors for Nolan’s entrant, the trainer has told reporters that he believes
Pride Of Dulcote to be a formidable rival, considering his position as a 14-1 favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He thinks that beating the Irish veteran will be one h**l of a task. Although Nolan cannot predict an outcome for the race, he believes that
the Irish stayers lack the ability that English horses have shown in the past two years or so, making them tough to be beaten.
Another opponent at the Leopardstown event, Money Trix beat Joncol to second place in the Lexus Chase in December, by finishing three-quarters of a length before the eight-year-old horse.
Money Trix is trained by Nicky Richards, who told reporters that, “I think he’ll run a good very good race. I’m hoping for a bit of rain between now and then. The others are all very good horses and we respect all of them. I just
hope all goes well for my horse and we won’t be far away.”
The conditions at Leopardstown ground had been described as “yielding to soft” at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
Thus, Pride Of Dulcote remains as the biggest threat to Joncol’s chances of winning in the event. The race is being termed as a feast for the eyes of bettors and horseracing fans, as defending champion, Joncol and runner-up, Cooldine
lock horns at the race.
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