Irish Hennessy Gold Cup: Time for Synchronised at Leopardstown

Tipping / Patrick Jupp / 08 February 2012 / Leave a Comment

Jonjo O'Neill, JP McManus and Tony McCoy are set to team up with Synchronised in the Hennessy

"Synchronised showed there is more to his make-up than just bottomless stamina when taking the Lexus over this C&D around Christmas, produced off a steady gallop to beat Rubi Light and Quito de La Roque"

The feature event on an outstanding day of action at Leopardstown on Sunday is the Hennessy Gold Cup. Timeform's Pat Jupp assesses the field.....

Five previous Grade 1 winners stand their ground for the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup at the five-day stage and Quel Esprit is the likely favourite judged on the market trends in the past couple of days. He was let down by his jumping in top novice company last season, though, falling in the Dr P.J. Moriarty at Leopardstown, RSA at Cheltenham and Growise Champion at Punchestown. He's had his confidence built back up in calmer waters this winter, easily winning a minor event at Naas and a Grade 3 at Thurles (by fifteen lengths from Whodoyouthink), but they were just small-field affairs, and, though he is relatively unexposed at 3m, he doesn't represent any value at the current odds.

By contrast, Synchronised does look an attractive price at anything bigger than [5.0], as he showed there is more to his make-up than just bottomless stamina when taking the Lexus over this C&D around Christmas, produced off a steady gallop to beat Rubi Light and Quito de La Roque. The negatives are that he's not always foot perfect, while the vibes coming out of Jackdaws Castle haven't been altogether positive, but that is more than factored into his current odds and he has conditions to suit.

Last season's novice chasers are well represented courtesy of Quito de La Roque, Jessies Dream and Bostons Angel.

Quito de La Roque has built up a cracking strike rate over the larger obstacles, winning a Grade 1 Novice at last season's Punchestown Festival and doubling his tally at that level in the JNwine.com Chase at Down Royal in November, outstaying Sizing Europe in the latter. He wasn't ideally suited by less testing ground and a steady gallop when only third in the Lexus last time so may get closer to Synchronised here, but it's still hard to see him reversing those placings.

Jessies Dream is a decidedly smart performer when making it to the track, winning the Grade 1 Drinmore Chase over two and a half miles at Fairyhouse last term and runner-up both outings after, going down by just a neck to Bostons Angel in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham and likely to have won had he not hung right in the closing stages (all wins over obstacles have come on right-handed tracks). He boasts an excellent record when fresh, too.

The aforementioned Bostons Angel actually won three Grade 1s last season, including that RSA Chase at Cheltenham, and he was still in with every chance when unseating 5 out in a race won by Quito de La Roque at Down Royal on his return. While the subsequent exploits of those he has finished around suggest there could be more to come, he did produce a rather laboured display when only third in intermediate chase at Sandown in December and is now set for a try in headgear.

China Rock is also worth a mention for all that he fell just short of top class last term, winning graded races at Gowran and Punchestown before filling the frame at Down Royal and here (corresponding race, fourth to Kempes). He's sure to be sharper for a recent spin over hurdles at Punchestown and should travel well for a long way, but will probably find a couple too good and doesn't totally convince with his stamina for three miles in testing ground, so is more of a back-to-lay option than anything else.

This race has a nice shape from a betting point of view, with likely favourite Quel Esprit having plenty to find on the figures, as well as question marks over his jumping. Synchronised put Quito de La Roque firmly in his place in the Lexus and has a good record when the mud is flying, so he ticks all the right boxes and, at around [5.0], looks a good bet to land this prize for Britain for the third time in five years. Jessies Dream could pose the biggest threat.

Recommendation
Back Synchronised @ [5.0] to win the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown
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