Joncol wins Hennessy Gold Cup
Sunday, 7 February 2010 19:57
Joncol provided jockey Alain Cawley with the biggest success of his career in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
Trained by Paul Nolan, the giant seven-year-old had finished third in the Lexus Chase at Christmas after looking the winner for a long way.
Connections had stated he would be ridden with more restraint this time and Cawley pounced on Cooldine well after the last to deny last year's RSA Chase winner by a neck in a thrilling finish.
Nolan said: 'This is brilliant and days like this don't come round too often.
'I thought we were in trouble for a while but he is very gutsy and we held up him a bit longer compared to the Lexus.
'They went very steady, the ground was a little tacky and Alain gave him a great ride.
'We have been trying to do two jobs in freshening him up while not training him too hard.
'Cheltenham is at the back of my mind and he is only 50-50 to run there.
'If he does go, it will be for the Ryanair and I have no regrets not entering him for the Gold Cup with Kauto Star and Denman being in there. I would rather go for a race where he is in contention.
'If the ground stays right I'd love to run him in the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown.'
