Joncol stole the limelight on a superb day's racing at Leopardstown on Sunday as Paul Nolan's giant chaser got up late on to deny Cooldine in the Hennessy Gold Cup.

In December's Lexus Chase Joncol was cut down late on by What a Friend and Money Trix but a change in tactics resulted in him pouncing late for victory on this occasion. Apart from Made In Taipan the other six Hennessy runners had all contested the Lexus Chase and this race allowed Joncol to show that he was better than his Lexus third suggested while it also witnessed a heartening return to form from Cooldine who now heads to the Gold Cup.

This latest renewal of the Hennessy was run at a very steady pace and this resulted in Schindlers Hunt holding a leading chance off the final bend. Indeed he was vying for the lead with Cooldine coming to the final fence but a bad mistake there knocked him back to third. This left Joncol as the only threat to Cooldine and Paul Nolan's charge answered jockey Alain Cawley's every urging to get up late on.

A Ryanair Chase bid by the winner was described as 50-50 by Nolan and perhaps a likelier option for him at this stage is the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown in April if the ground were still on the soft side. This was only Joncol's eighth start over fences and the tenth of his career so it is not unreasonable to assume that there could be better still to come from him next season.

For his part Cooldine showed his Lexus Chase running to be all wrong and produced quite an encouraging effort out in front. This was only his second start of the campaign and his first completed one. Willie Mullins pointed out afterwards that he did nothing only improve throughout his novice chase season and certainly there could be better still to come from him this term. He seemed to relish the demands of Cheltenham when he ran away with last year's RSA Chase and he could well prove capable of challenging for a place in the frame in the Gold Cup.

Schindlers Hunt ran a fine race over a trip that stretches his stamina on soft ground and he would have been closer only for that last fence mistake. He showed up well well to take third in the Ryanair Chase last year at Cheltenham and his showing here indicated that he could again be a force to be reckoned with in that race. He is a best priced 16/1 for that race and that does make some appeal.

Earlier Dunguib produced an extraordinary performance to come out on top in a well run Deloitte Novice Hurdle. The brilliant bumper horse faced his biggest test over hurdles in this grade 1 where he was looking to make it four from four over timber.

Settled at the rear of the field his jumping was careless at times but he still closed up on the leaders with the utmost ease after the second last and he never even looked like coming off the bridle on the run in as he sauntered by Fionnegas to score by two and a half lengths.

Some Present, who had finished a seven length second to Dunguib in December's Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, was just over 13 and a half lengths back in third on this occasion. Interestingly the time for this race was over seven seconds quicker than the mares handicap hurdle which was run over this course and distance 35 minutes previously.

Dunguib is now a best priced even money favourite for the Supreme Novices Hurdle and his credentials as a horse of extraordinary class and quality were in full evidence on Sunday. He needs to improve his jumping but otherwise this was an incredible display and he will take a huge amount of beating at Cheltenham.

The runner-up Fionnegas turned in a cracking effort in second and was well clear of the remainder. The step up from two miles to two and a quarter seemed to suit him well and he showed here that he should be a major player for some of the better novice hurdles at the big spring festivals.

The Dr P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase brought together some crack novices in Roberto Goldback and Weapon's Amnesty but instead victory went to Citizen Vic, who appeared to be the less well fancied of the Willie Mullins duo.

The Old Vic gelding had stepped up appreciably on his first two efforts over fences to win a Punchestown beginner's event in January but still looked to have plenty to do at this level. To his credit he turned in a fine performance from the front and kept on strongly under pressure from early in the straight to score. The Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse rather than the RSA Chase appears to be his preferred target at this stage.

Over a trip that is short of his best Weapon's Amnesty ran a decent race and kept on well in the closing stages. This was a more than satisfactory warm up for the RSA Chase and expect last year's Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle winner to make a bold showing in that race.

Roberto Goldback ran an honest race in third as he attempted to follow up his impressive course and distance success from two weeks previously. Once again Cousin Vinny was let down by his jumping. He had to settle for fifth and connections are contemplating returning him to hurdles. The unfortunate Zaarito came to grief once again, this time at the final fence when he was in a share of second position. He has fallen three times this term but with a clear round he will be able to pick up a decent prize before the end of the season.

Pittoni cemented his position as one of Ireland's leading juvenile hurdlers by winning the Spring Juvenile Hurdle with plenty in hand. Unbeaten on his first two outings over timber, he enjoyed another straight forward success here and only needed to be pushed out from the last to make sure of victory over Cross Appeal. He could improve his jumping though and Charles Byrnes did warm that he wouldn't want the ground too quick at Cheltenham.

All eyes were on Captain Cee Bee as he completed his racecourse preparations for Cheltenham in the two mile novice chase at Naas on Saturday.

On his first outing since that unlucky last fence fall at Leopardstown in December the Eddie Harty-trained gelding produced a most assured display. After keeping close to the pace throughout he drew right away from the useful Fosters Cross after the second last without needing the slightest encouragement.

A minor last fence error was the only blip in his round and he deservedly heads to Cheltenham as a leading player for Arkle glory. This latest success came on heavy ground but significantly Eddie Harty is hoping that the ground comes up good at Cheltenham.

Earlier Grey Soldier franked the form of the Leopardstown maiden hurdle won by Rite Of Passage last month - he was second in that race - as he won the opener at Naas with something to spare.

A useful sort on the flat in France, Grey Soldier's best form on the level came on good ground and when he gets a decent surface to race on in the spring he can be expected to hold his own in smart company. Gordon Elliott reported that the promising gelding would not be heading to Cheltenham this year.

The two-mile three-furlong bumper at Naas attracted some capable previous winners but they had to give best to Minella Class. Unplaced on his only previous outing in a maiden hurdle, the Trevor Horgan inmate had shown a useful level of form in point-to-points last spring and could prove to be quite a decent sort.

It should also be worth keeping an eye out of the third placed Escudero, an unraced relation to Fiveforthree and Celestial Gold, who shaped with plenty of promise through the race and shouldn't have any trouble winning a bumper this season.

The conditions for Clonmel's meeting on Thursday were extremely testing but this should not take away from the performance of the promising Quito De La Roque in the two and three quarter mile novice hurdle.

Placed on his first two starts over timber, the Colm Murphy-trained gelding produced a very willing and tenacious display to see off some capable rivals. He can only improve further and will probably only come into his own when he tackles three miles over fences next season.

His performance paid a handsome compliment to the promising Enterprise Park who comfortably defeated him at Limerick in December. The form of that Limerick event was also boosted by the useful Hugo De Vindecy at Down Royal on Wednesday. He finished well adrift of Enterprise Park when third at Limerick but at Down Royal he turned in a likeable display to account for Rubi Light. In short Enterprise Park is one of the most intriguing contenders for one of the longer novice hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival.

Also at Clonmel the smart mare For Bill took her tally to five wins from as many appearances on the track as she outpointed the useful Killultagh Queen in the mares hurdle. A thoroughly likeable and tough sort, the daughter of Presenting should be a force in some of the better mares hurdles this spring.

Just two weeks after his famous Thyestes Chase success Whinstone Boy was turned out fresh and well by Jimmy Mangan to win a two and a half mile conditions chase at Clonmel. The John Smith's Grand National remains his target and if conditions at Aintree were to come up soft a bold showing from the Supreme Leader gelding would come as no surprise.