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Trainer Colm Murphy today confirmed that Quito De La Roque will bid to end his season on a high in the Grade One thetote.com Punchestown Gold Cup on the second day of this year's Irish National Hunt Festival, Wednesday, April 25.
Tote Ireland was yesterday revealed as the new sponsor of the famous 3m 1f contest at which Murphy's exciting chaser has been aimed, having missed the Cheltenham Festival. Others confirmed to run in what promises to be a fabulous event include Captain Chris, trained in Britain by Philip Hobbs, and the John Durkan Memorial Chase winner Rubi Light.
“Quito De La Roque will run in the thetote.com Punchestown Gold Cup and thankfully he is back in good form and seems very well at the moment,” said County Wexford-based Murphy.
The Gigginstown House Stud-owned eight-year-old bagged his first Grade One at the Punchestown Festival last year when romping home in the Growise Champion Novice Chase after three successive Grade Two victories at Naas, Navan and Aintree.
He won the Grade One JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal on his comeback this season before finishing third behind subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in December.
“He had a sinus problem and it would have been a rush trying to make Cheltenham, but he has been back in full work for a while now,” added Murphy. “He goes on any ground, but he wouldn't want it firm.”
Trainer Philip Hobbs today confirmed that the eight-year-old Captain Chris was set to return to Punchestown, where he ran out a brilliant winner of the Grade One Ryanair Novice Chase last year.
“Captain Chris is on course for the thetote.com Punchestown Gold Cup,” said Hobbs. “He won't run anywhere beforehand and is very likely to line up at Punchestown. He has been fine since his last run in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, but he does need to go right-handed. He jumped with more confidence at Cheltenham which was good to see.”
Also likely to line up in the thetote.com Punchestown Gold Cup is the Robbie Hennessy-trained Rubi Light, the five-length winner of the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown in December before finishing second in the Lexus Chase. He finished fifth in the Ryanair Chase over 2m 5f at Cheltenham and Hennessy feels a step up in trip at Punchestown will prove beneficial.
“I wouldn't be concerned about tackling three miles again - the form of the Lexus Chase is working out well with Synchronised winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup,” said Hennessy. “Andrew (Lynch) came in after the Ryanair Chase and said maybe three miles will suit him better in Grade One company. They were just going a bit too quick for him down the back at Cheltenham and Andrew said they just had him out of his comfort zone.
“Rubi Light will run in the thetote.com Punchestown Gold Cup if we get the ground, he would like it on the soft side. He has had ten days off in the paddock since Cheltenham - he came home all right.
“We will probably start him off in the three mile races next season and see how he gets on. We can always switch back to two and a half miles if we're not happy. He is still a big baby. He was the youngest horse in the Ryanair Chase and I would say another summer's grass under his belt will do him the world of good. He is something exciting to look forward to next year.”