Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday, December 9, is a "big possibility" for Ross River who is currently a 10/1 chance with the sponsor following a winning seasonal debut at Punchestown on November 18.

The prestigious two mile, five furlong handicap chase has received a 40,000 prize money boost thanks to the generous of Boylesports, Ireland's fastest growing independent bookmaker.

The Boylesports.com Gold Cup has a high-class 47-strong entry, which was announced yesterday, and takes place on day two of Cheltenham's mouth-watering Boylesports International, Saturday, December 9. The weights are announced on Wednesday, November 29.

Martin has a good 19% strike-rate with his raiders at Cheltenham over the past five seasons and was on the mark with After Midnight in the Royal Bank Of Canada Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at The Open on his most recent foray earlier this month.

The County Meath handler revealed this morning: "Ross River is entered in the Boylesports.com Gold Cup. We'll have a look at the race closely and it's a big possibility.

"We just have to confirm because we haven't made our minds up yet where exactly we'll go with him. There are a couple of options at Leopardstown over Christmas so it would depend how he's treated by the English handicapper, how the race shapes up and how he is next weekend.

"He only raced last Saturday so I'd be waiting until next Saturday morning (December 2) to see how he is before committing to any plans."

Ross River fell at the eighth fence when sent off favourite for the Grade Three Racing Post Plate over the course and distance at The Festival in March, and made a winning seasonal bow in the Panoramic Restaurant Handicap Chase over two and a quarter miles at Punchestown last Saturday.

Martin reported: "We were very happy with his run at Punchestown but it wasn't a Cheltenham standard race. They were very middling horses and there was only a handful of runners. It wasn't a run to be getting carried away with but we were happy with him.

"He's turning 11 so his better years could be behind him but he hasn't a lot of mileage on the clock and - touch wood - his limbs seem to be in good shape so hopefully, if we can preserve them for a while longer, he should perform adequately this season.

"Our horse ran last year off 130 at The Festival, so it depends what the handicapper decides to do with him. He's going on for 11 years of age and coming off a win in a middling race, so I would think he'll probably stick him in there on about 132 or 133.

"He won on heavy last time and would go on any ground, so that's never a worry with him."

Exotic Dancer
racing-images.co.uk

The superb entry for the Boylesports.com Gold Cup also includes the first five home in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, headed by the winner Boylepoker.com Chase over three miles, one and a half furlongs, which was won last year by the Paul Nicholls-trained Royal Auclair - runner-up in the 2005 John Smith's Grand National - and this year carries tremendous doubled prize money of 100,000.

Latest Boylesports prices for the Boylesports.com Gold Cup:
5/1 Taranis, 8/1 Vodka Bleu, 8/1 Commercial Flyer, 10/1 Exotic Dancer, 10/1 Ross River, 12/1 Billyvoddan, 12/1 Butler's Cabin, 12/1 Hasty Prince, 12/1 New Alco, 12/1 Reveillez, 12/1 Thisthatandtother, 14/1 Cerium, 14/1 Darby Wall, 14/1 Fundamentalist, 14/1 Graphic Approach, 14/1 Kill Devil Hill, 14/1 Locksmith, 14/1 Mariah Rollins, 14/1 Sir Oj, 16/1 Albuhera, 16/1 Bannow Strand, 16/1 Contraband, 16/1 Copsale Lad, 16/1 Crozan, 16/1 Kandjar D'Allier, 16/1 Knowhere, 16/1 Le Volfoni, 16/1 Madison Du Berlais, 16/1 Our Ben, 16/1 Pearly Jack, 16/1 Tamarinbleu, 16/1 Wild ion, 20/1 Bar