IT’S a big weekend for Kilkenny trainer Paul Hennessy. His mare Heaven Help Us looks to have a live chance in the Grade 2 Coolmore NH Sires EBF Mares Bumper, the final race of the Dublin Racing Festival tomorrow. But before that, he will be in Shelbourne tonight hoping to get three dogs qualified for the final of the Gold Cup.

“It’s a big weekend alright,” said Hennessy, a champion greyhound trainer. “We’d be used to it with the dogs but certainly not with the horses. To be honest, it’s a dream come true to have the mare running in this sort of race. Here we were having great fun trying to win 45-67 handicaps up at Dundalk, and now we have a mare we bred ourselves in a race like this. It’s absolutely fantastic.

“I’m not sure if she’ll be up to it, I wouldn’t be that familiar with the form of the others but it’s obviously going to be tough. She is in great form though, and Niall Prendergast comes in and rides her every day. He had his first ever win on her at Navan and he’ll be on again tomorrow.

“Whatever happens, happens, it’s just great to be there.”

Another small trainer hoping to make his mark this weekend is Meath man Shane Crawley, whose Sassy Diva, has been well supported in the market since declarations came out for the Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle, the first race on the card at Leopardstown tomorrow.

The eight-year-old has some eyecatching form, having finished a close second to Honeysuckle on her previous run, and another close second to Tintangle on her penultimate start. That pair have gone on to finish first and third in a Grade 3 contest at Fairyhouse, which hints that Sassy Diva could be nicely treated off a mark of 116 now.

Crawley said: “It’s great to be going there and the prize money is fantastic. Her form looks good and I’d say Honeysuckle is the best novice mare we’ve seen in Ireland so far this season.

“It’s always a real eye-opener going into a handicap hurdle for the first time and she probably wouldn’t want the ground to get soft but we’re hopeful she can run well.”

Des McDonogh is no stranger to major success and he will be represented by two runners this weekend. Today, Hearts Are Trumps takes on the valuable Ladbrokes Hurdle and tomorrow Morga will go for the Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle.

“Hearts Are Trumps is in good form and he went very close the last day at Fairyhouse. Tony Martin’s horse (Tudor City) looked unlucky there and the winner Wonder Laish will probably be tough to beat.

“Morga might struggle again but we’ve booked a up-and-coming jockey in Darragh O’Keeffe. I think he could be very good some day and he takes a handy 7lbs off her back.”