Adrian Maguire will ride Florida Pearl when the 10-year-old bids for a fourth successive victory in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown next month, it was revealed today. Maguire partnered the Willie Mullins-trained gelding for the first time in the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on St Stephens Day when they landed the mid-season highlight.
"Adrian has been booked for the Hennessy," Mullins confirmed. "I was very pleased with the King George and Florida Pearl seems to have come out of the race great. We've had so much frost here we weren't able to let him out in the paddock so he's been ridden out and he's in tremendous form. The all-weather gallop hadn't frozen at all and we were able to work through."
Maguire became available when his original mount, Paris Pike, was ruled out of the Hennessy through injury. Florida Pearl is currently a 12-1 chance with Coral for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup. And when asked if he would be on Florida Pearl in chasing's blue riband event Maguire said: "I'll play it one day as it comes. I don't know to be honest, Paris Pike could be back by Cheltenham."
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
