World Racing / Timeform / 12 February 2012 /

French-bred Quel Esprit gave Willie Mullins his eighth Grade 1 Hennessy Gold Cup success when making all under Ruby Walsh in the Leopardstown showpiece on Sunday.

The good-topped grey eight-year-old, who went into the race 7 lb behind top-rated China Rock on a Timeform master figure of 151, put in a faultless round of jumping and never quite looked like getting caught, eventualy coming home with two lengths to spare.

It was the first time Walsh had ridden Quel Esprit to victory at the sixth attempt and the [2.3] favourite, who has now won all four of his completed chase starts (has fallen twice and been brought down once), was followed home by the two rank outsiders, [24.5] -shot Roberto Goldback lengths ahead of Treacle, who started at a BSP of [70.0].

After the race the rider stated how Quel Esprit had jumped and travelled well and that they went a good gallop, something that the horse likes to do.

Walsh also said how he believes the horse is "probably a 160 (BHA rating) horse, which leaves him 14 lb behind Long Run (Timeform master rating of 182) and Kauto Star (181)".

The aforementioned China Rock travelled well and briefly looked a threat before fading into a well-held fourth, with Follow The Plan fifth, Bostons Angel sixth and Magnanimity last, the final pair making notable mistakes.

Quel Esprit is now trading at [21.0] for next month's Cheltenham Gold Cup, a race in which he's likely to be reunited with Paul Townend (five from six on the horse).

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