When The Listener first ran in Ireland 14 months ago, it was considered a most uncharacteristic act by his staunchly West Country trainer, Robert Alner. Since then, though, the talented grey has taken to travel like a Ryanair commuter and he registered his third grade one win here when making all in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup yesterday.
As is inevitable, with winners from a yard deprived of its leader by shocking injuries in a car accident, there was a shadow of sadness over the celebrations. Yet Alner and his indomitable wife, Sally, who now share the licence, also share the view that life must go on and, thanks to The Listener, life at their yard in the Dorset village of Droop was a little rosier last night.
Remarkably, this was the first British-trained winner of the Hennessy since 1995, when Jodami's third victory prompted Leopardstown to name a bar after him. Given his liking for the place, and Ireland's shortage of quality in the chasing sphere, The Listener might soon have a similar memorial.
This was not a formidable renewal. Willie Mullins and Michael Hourigan, who between them have trained the past ten winners of the race, fielded candidates with one eye on the Grand National, Nickname ran like a non-stayer and a stealthy run from Mister Top Notch produced less than seemed likely.
Second place eventually fell to Turko, considered by Paul Nicholls to have run “a career best”. He too, though, has Aintree as a principal target, which rendered the race redundant in its usual guise of a Gold Cup rehearsal. Not that this should matter to the winner, especially after the dismay of being cut down by Beef Or Salmon in the final strides a year ago.
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Nick Mitchell, Alner's assistant, has accompanied The Listener to Ireland three times already this season and worried that the traditionally testing ground had dried too much. Instead, his horse never saw a rival, with Daryl Jacob skilfully conserving enough stamina for him to draw clear again just as the pack began to close.
“Daryl sat and saved lovely,” Mitchell said approvingly. “Most horses that win a Hennessy walk up the run-in but he didn't.” However, Mitchell was unconvinced over the wisdom of another bid for the Gold Cup, in which he was only eleventh last year.
“We fell short against Denman over Christmas and I can't really see that being turned round. Kauto Star and Denman might scare a few away but this horse has got enough pace for the Ryanair, so we'll think about that.”
Mullins was delighted by Snowy Morning, the National favourite, who stayed on into fourth, but will not take him to Cheltenham. “We'll give the Festival a miss and run him in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse before Aintree,” the trainer said.
He was equally unenthusiastic about Cheltenham for J'y Vole, whose victory in the Dr P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase was earned the hard way. The five-year-old mare, receiving 15lb from all six rivals, ran too freely in front, hung and jumped right-handed and clouted the third-last fence but rallied tenaciously to deprive Big Zeb. “Extraordinary,” Mullins said.
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One horse definitely on target for the Ballymore Properties Novices Hurdle at the Festival, though, is Forpadydeplasterer, and a repeat of his grade one win yesterday would bring some archetypal Irish scenes.
A mass of red-and-white scarves were waved by his syndicate of owners from The Goat pub, near Leopardstown. The landlord, Charlie Chawke, is a shareholder of Sunderland and Coral now bracket his horse with Aigle D'Or at 6-1 joint-favourite.