Banquet to strike for Mullins

Lydia Hislop13 April 2012

If there's a Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup winner residing at Willie Mullins's County Carlow yard, it was meant to be Florida Pearl. But even the trainer admits there's a theory kicking around bars and pubs across Ireland that Alexander Banquet could steal his stablemate's thunder.

While Florida Pearl was Ireland's darling, Alexander Banquet was always the worthy work-horse. They won successive Weatherbys Champion Bumpers at the 1997 and 1998 Festivals, but Florida Pearl was already on the Gold Cup fasttrack.

Not for him a hurdling prelude: Florida Pearl graduated straight to fences. His 1998 Royal & SunAlliance Chase victory caused supporters no doubt the Gold Cup already had his name on it at least once.

His stable companion instead tackled the 1999 Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle, finishing a creditable seventh behind Barton over an inadequate 2m 5f. It was a hot year - 2000 Hennessy hero King's Road was fourth and topclass hurdler-chaser Behrajan fifth.

Alexander Banquet's novice-chasing career began low-key. Inadequate trips exacerbated slow adaptability, but the penny dropped in his Festival prep at Naas and Cheltenham inspired a staying-on second behind Lord Noelie in the 2000 Royal & SunAlliance Chase.

Unlike his more feted stablemate, he looked sure to improve for the Gold Cup's extra furlong. Twice-placed Florida Pearl has already found three horses who stay that trip better: 2000's 1-2, See More Business and Go Ballistic, and last year's five-length winner, Looks Like Trouble.

Expectation is a dangerous thing. Because he'd failed the ultimate Cheltenham test, Florida Pearl's three successive Irish Hennessy wins were now valued but lightly. Proof he was cut from more complicated cloth came with deserved King George VI Chase victory last December.

Altered tactics from then-pilot Adrian Maguire worked the oracle, prompting Mullins to claim he could strategise his way to Gold Cup success, too. But it was back to the old routine in the 2002 Irish Hennessy when Alexander Banquet comprehensively outstayed a lacklustre Florida Pearl, who trailed in fourth. That luckless Maguire is again sidelined, this time with a neck injury, may perversely work in Florida Pearl's favour - he may respond to novelty. But he doesn't relish that sapping Cheltenham hill and easier ground than two years ago won't help.

Alexander Banquet, meanwhile, was a ring-rusty third in the 2000 Hennessy before giving Florida Pearl a fright in last term's Irish version. Rest was then prescribed for a largely anticipated tendon injury.

Too burly to pose a serious threat in last December's Ericsson Chase won by improved Foxchapel King, he stayed on for an eye-catching third.

That put him right to upset his stablemate's bid for a fourth Irish Hennessy last month.

But, again, he was filed under mudlark for outstaying Behrajan on heavy ground. Certainly, stamina is Alexander Banquet's forte, but you need plenty of it to win a Gold Cup. His previous Festival performances on fastish ground prove he's not a one-pace pony.

Tomorrow's card is staged on Cheltenham's New Course, riding slower than the Old.

It rained last night and any more would suit. But this is a progressive young horse at the height of his powers, not a one-dimensional plodder. His comeback defeat by Foxchapel King can't be taken literally.

Behrajan gained lengths at every fence in the Irish Hennessy but was persistently reined back. Lack of strong pace and testing ground didn't suit, but he stayed on more convincingly than before. His 2000 Bonusprint Stayers' Hurdle third counsels respect.

Lord Noelie's chance improves with each ray of sun. He was all out to defeat Alexander Banquet at the 2000 Festival and may not confirm superiority. But his close-up Hennessy fourth under top-weight gives him the beating of both winner Whats Up Boys and runner-up Behrajan.

The worry is trainer Henrietta Knight's pecking order. Her threestrong team is completed by veteran Go Ballistic - amazingly running at his eighth Festival - and Best Mate, second in the King George. The last-named is top dog.

A superb jumper and open to unimagined improvement at the mere age of seven, he's a highly credible winner. Stamina is the only doubt.

Third Bacchanal franked the King George form at Newbury last month and has an engine. He also boasts Festival form as the 2000 Stayers' Hurdle hero, but a tendency to bear right at his fences and throw the odd low jump is a worry. Stablemate Marlborough's form hasn't yet convinced of its class.

Titleholder Looks Like Trouble aims to become the first horse since L'Escargot in 1971 to retain his crown, albeit with the loss of a Festival in between.

He was pretty special here in 2000, proved his wellbeing at Wincanton in January and looked magnificent for a gallop at Kempton last month.

But paradox troubles his bid: best form on fastish ground, yet last term's tendon injury would be cushioned by softer.

Trainer Noel Chance believes he'll win if he stays sound, but that's a big if for a favourite - even if our hearts are with him.

Selections for tomorrow's Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup: 1, Alexander Banquet; 2, Lord Noelie; 3, Best Mate.

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