Salmon fails on his travels again

Racing Aintree report and newsIn the circumstances, Michael Hourigan's rueful grin after Beef Or Salmon's latest cross-channel disaster at Aintree yesterday might have been as brave a gesture as anything that will be seen over the big fences in tomorrow's Grand National.

The enigmatic Irish star now has an unenviable zero record from six starts in England after a bizarre exit from a Betfair Bowl Chase that frustratingly turned into what would have been a ready-made winning opportunity.

With cheek-pieces on for the first time, Paul Carberry settled the horse at the rear and the partnership were travelling okay until Beef Or Salmon had a serious disagreement with the fifth fence.

It was a bad mistake but one he looked like recovering from until a collision with Monkerhostin then sent Carberry out the side door leaving Beef Or Salmon riderless.

That the well-backed favourite L'Ami could only run a flat third, and the error prone Take The Stand handed victory to Celestial Gold with a terrible mistake at the last, only emphasised how ripe the race was for some overdue vindication.

"I wasn't anticipating that!" smiled Hourigan whose one consolation was that Beef Or Salmon was caught quickly, thus saving some precious energy for the future. "Maybe we'll look at the Irish National now. He didn't go very far, and he didn't fall. I don't know if the cheek-pieces did any good. It was too soon. It's disappointing but there'll be other races. Maybe we'll just stay at home in future!" Celestial Gold's performance was enough to tempt some bookmakers into 14 to 1 prices for next year's Gold Cup but he looked a fortunate winner due to Take The Stand's last fence mistake.

"We had luck today," acknowledged Martin Pipe's son David, a point emphasised by Take The Stand's trainer Peter Bowen who reported: "Tony (Dobbin) said he would have won. He had a bit up his sleeve. It's so frustrating he makes mistakes in races when he's got such an engine. We might take him to Punchestown for the Guinness Gold Cup."

It was one of those days for Irish hopes as Bothar Na, favourite for the Foxhunters over the big fences, did well to skip around a couple of fallers five from home and struggled home in fourth behind the 2005 winner Katarino.

The winner was again ridden by the owner's son Sam Waley-Cohen, which makes officialdom's decision to not let him ride in the National, due to not having ridden 15 winners in total over jumps, rather odd.

"I don't think you'll see a better horse around here," the rider enthused. "He's absolute class over these fences, so balanced through the air."

Richard Johnson will be on board Therealbandit in the big race and warmed up in some style yesterday, getting Mighty Man home ahead of the favourite My Way De Solzen in the opening hurdle, and then landing the odds on the Triumph winner Detroit City in the big four-year- old hurdle.

Only Pollardstown in 1979 had ever before completed the double but Detroit City ground the opposition away to eventually beat Premier Dane by eight lengths.

The result was vindication for owner Terry Warner who over-ruled Johnson and trainer Philip Hobbs by insisting Detroit City run at two miles.

"I think he's a Champion Hurdle contender," said Warner. "I might be over-ruled by the trainer, but I'm very strong willed." One firm went as low as 8 to 1 for next year's Champion but despite winning yesterday Johnson still maintained: "I still think he will be better over further." The well-fancied Mansony lost his chance at the start in the Red Rum Handicap Chase when he was badly left and never figured behind the John Spearing trained winner Jacks Craic.

"There's no secret with him - he's just fit and well. He's always shown lots of speed but his jumping is absolutely brilliant," Spearing said.

Ruby Walsh and Paul Nicholls got off the mark for the week with Natal who had too much finishing kick for the other joint favourite Blazing Bailey in the Grade Two Novices Hurdle.

"He will be very exciting next year when he goes over fences," said the champion trainer elect. "I think stamina will be his forte. He's entered at Punchestown but I wouldn't think he'd run."