Beef Or Salmon set to reappear at Clonmel

Racing News and Clonmel preview: The Cheltenham Gold Cup second favourite Beef Or Salmon looks like he will finally make his first start of the season at Clonmel next week.Ireland's top-rated steeplechaser has had his long-awaited reappearance repeatedly postponed due to the quick ground conditions that have prevailed in recent weeks.

Trainer Michael Hourigan has had to withdraw Beef Or Salmon, a general 10 to 1 shot for Cheltenham, from the Leopardstown November Handicap and the James Nicholson Chase among other races.

However, he said yesterday: "The rain has come and it will come again so I will be having a look at the track in Clonmel tomorrow.

"The horse is in good form and the first opportunity that comes he will run. That could be the race at Clonmel next week."

That event is the Clonmel Oil Chase that Beef Or Salmon won last year and which was a standing dish with Hourigan's previous chase star, Dorans Pride.

Before that, some of the country's top hurdling stars look set to take part in Sunday's Mongey Communications Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.

Back In Front and Sacundai could both possibly represent Edward O'Grady and last season's leading novice Solerina, an 8 to 1 shot with Ladbrokes for the Stayers' Hurdle, was described yesterday as a likely starter by the James Bowe team.

Bowe's son Michael confirmed: "She will run as long as the ground is safe.

"She will badly need the race and it isn't an ideal start but I have no choice due to the weather we have had."

The star turn at Clonmel today looks like being the former Cheltenham bumper winner and SunAlliance Hurdle runner-up Pizarro who makes his first start over fences in the Beginners' Chase.

Barry Geraghty takes the ride on the Edward O'Grady-trained star who has the former Lincoln winner Atlantic Rhapsody among his opposition. Nevertheless, anything near his top form over flights would surely be good enough for Pizarro.

The three-year-old hurdle features the first start over jumps of the decent flat horse Dolmur whose last appearance saw him running off a level mark of 106. The O'Grady camp have Trampoline King in the race and looks the main danger.

Rosses Folly ran a blinder on fast going at Navan last Sunday to be second to Rosbane Valley. She is at the other end of the handicap today but any more dig in the ground would not be a problem.