THE Grade 1 Hennessy Gold Cup, over three miles at Leopardstown last Sunday, was the feature race of the weekend and it provided the John Kiely-trained Carlingford Lough with his third victory at the highest level.

Previously winner of the Grade 1 Topaz Novice Chase over the same course and distance, and also the Grade 1 Growise Champion Novice Chase over a furlong further at Punchestown, his only other victory over fences is the Grade A Galway Plate, which means that he was a maiden over the larger obstacles before taking one of the country’s most prestigious handicaps in the summer of 2013.