There is a terrific eight race card at Leopardstown on Sunday with the feature race being the Irish Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup worth 206,000 euros. This race is run over 3 miles and last years winner The Listener goes again, this time to be ridden by Andrew J McNamara. The Listener fell on his last visit to Ireland as did Neptune Collonges (pictured). This race should be a stepping stone for Neptune Collonges on his way to the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Steeplechase worth 103,000 euros run over 2 miles 5 furlongs brings together Forpadydeplasterer and Cooldine. Forpadydeplasterer won the Deloitte Novice Hurdle at this meeting last year before being sent to Cheltenham for the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle where he ran a good race to finish fourth. This time around Willie Mullins runs Cousin Vinny and Hurricane Fly against each other in a small field for the Deloitte Novice Hurdle before they are sent to Cheltenham for their chosen races. For all the runners and riders with the jockeys' colours click on the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

In four weeks time this will be Cheltenham Gold Cup Day. In the meantime there is some interesting racing tomorrow at Ascot, Haydock and Wincanton. The race carrying the most prize money is the Betfair Ascot Chase worth £150,000 run over 2 miles 5 furlongs. There is a disappointing turn out on account of the ground and only four runners will go to post. Voy Por Ustedes (pictured) should win this. His next race will probably be in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Earlier in the card the Reynoldstown Novices Chase will be run over 3 miles. Last year Albertas Run, Air Force One and Battlecry fought out the finish. There will be only four runners this year and Carruthers would be a very popular winner of this. Breedsbreeze will give him most to do. Both horses are probably en route to the Royal & Sun Alliance Chase at the Festival. Up at Haydock Park the feature race will be the Bluesquare Gold Cup Chase worth £115,000 run over 3 miles 4 furlongs. Miko De Beauchene won the equivalent race last year and goes again. Tony McCoy is an interesting booking for Character Building who is en route to the Grand National. Mon Mome represents Venetia Williams whose horses remain in tremendous form. Also on the card Kasbah Bliss comes over from France for a pipeopener in the Blue Square Hurdle run over 3 miles 1 furlong. His next stop will be to take on Punchestowns in the World Hurdle at the Festival. At Wincanton the Kingwell Hurdle worth £80,000 will be run over 2 miles and looks to be between Punjabi and Askkavar. For all the runners and riders with the jockeys' colours click on the sporting life. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

It is only 5 weeks now to the 2009 Cheltenham Gold Cup where all going well Denman (pictured) and Kauto Star will renew their rivalry. The weather has caused havoc with racing recently so lets hope the Kempton meeting can go ahead tomorrow. Denman was down to run at Newbury but an excellent card has been lost there so he now runs in the Levy Board Chase over 3 miles at Kempton. He should win this and cement his place at the head of Gold Cup betting. The weather is no better over in Ireland where their Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup Meeting due to take place on Sunday has been abandoned. Fortunately this has now been re-arranged for Sunday 15th February. Here Willie Mullins, who has such a strong hand of young Hurdlers, will hope to get a run into some of his Cheltenham hopefuls. In his care he has Cousin Vinny, Hurricane Fly, Mikael D'Haguenet and Quiscover Fontaine. For the runners and riders with the jockeys colours click on the sporting life and for all the upto date news from Cheltenham click on Cheltenham. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".