Kildare trainer vying for glory in a hugely talented line-up for the Irish Gold Cup

Leopardstown Racecourse today announced the entries for Irish Gold Cup Day, the only raceday in Ireland to host four Grade 1 races, on Saturday, February 6th.

Trainer Ted Walsh, who is based in Kill, Co Kildare, has entered Foxrock into the highly-anticipated race although he is likely to go off as a rank outsider to some of the Willie Mullins trained entrants. Early betting forecasts have Foxrock as an 8/1 shot.

Champion trainer Willie Mullins is responsible for seven of the 17 entries for the €150,000 Irish Gold Cup, including Djakadam who was so impressive when winning the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase in December. Mullins has won the race on nine previous occasions and he has also entered his narrow Grade 1 Lexus Chase winner Don Poli and Sir Des Champs who gave the Closutton trainer his most recent success in 2013.

Gordon Elliott has put both Don Cossack and stable favourite Roi Du Mee in the three mile contest and another with two entries is Noel Meade who could be represented by Road To Riches and Wounded Warrior. Carlingford Lough landed the spoils under Tony McCoy last year and John Kiely’s star is engaged once again as is the Ted Walsh-trained Foxrock who finished runner-up in the most recent renewal. Paul Nicholls, who was the successful rider on the David Barons-trained Playschool in 1988 and then trained Neptune Collonges to win in 2009, has entered the seven-time winner Virak and other notable entries include Enda Bolger’s Gilgamboa and the Mouse Morris-trained First Lieutenant, runner-up to Don Poli at Leopardstown last month.

Gain Horse Feeds were announced as Leopardstown Racecourse’s newest sponsors yesterday and 12 horses have been entered for the first running of the Grade 1 Gain Spring Juvenile Hurdle. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Ivanovich Gorbatov leads the way after his impressive win on his hurdling debut at the Leopardstown Christmas festival. Let’s Dance chased him home that day and she is one of five entries from the Willie Mullins stable. The Mullins-trained Apple’s Jade edged out Gavin Cromwell’s Jer’s Girl to win a thrilling Grade 2 Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle at the Leopardstown Christmas festival and a clash between the pair is on the cards again.