Sport

Beef Or Salmon to run in Fairyhouse hurdle

Fairyhouse preview : Beef Or Salmon is set to go on a retrieval mission in the Sherry Fitzgerald Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Monday…

Fri Apr 14 2006 - 01:00

Fairyhouse preview: Beef Or Salmon is set to go on a retrieval mission in the Sherry Fitzgerald Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Monday. Michael Hourigan's 10-year-old unseated Paul Carberry in the Betfair Bowl at Aintree last week to compound the misery of connections after a dismal show in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

But Hourigan is hoping a spin over smaller obstacles will restore the eight-time Grade One winner's confidence and get him back on track for a tilt at the Punchestown Festival.

"We were a little disappointed with what happened at Liverpool, he just got a bump at the wrong time and he unshipped Paul," said Hourigan.

"The plan is now the two-and-a-half-mile hurdle at Fairyhouse on Monday. He has only won one hurdle race in his career, but I think it could be a good confidence boost for him and us. He won't be knocked around in the race, he'll win if he's able, but it's more about confidence than anything else."

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Hourigan is also set to be represented in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National by A New Story. The eight-year-old finished third to the progressive Dun Doire in the Thyestes Chase earlier in the season and Hourigan believes he has a fair chance in the feature event.

"He will definitely run. He's out of the handicap at the moment but he will run, as long as we get in," he said.

"The horse kind of idled halfway through the race in the Thyestes and lost his place, but he was a fast-finishing third."

Church Island, a late absentee from the Cheltenham Festival, bypasses the Fairyhouse meeting but is firmly on course for the betfair.com Novice Handicap Chase at Punchestown. "He just had a little strain in his hind-quarter and it took a bit longer than we thought to get it fixed, He's fine now, he won't run next week, but he will run in Punchestown."

Hourigan also issued a positive update on Melling Chase-winner Hi Cloy, who is now set to clash with Beef Or Salmon at the end of the month.

"Hi Cloy will go for the Guinness Chase at Punchestown. He will be clashing with Beef Or Salmon, but it's trial and error to see if he gets three miles."

Cheltenham winner Nicanor is set to spearhead a strong team for trainer Noel Meade at Punchestown. The five-year-old was an impressive winner of the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle and is on course for the Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Champion Novice Hurdle on April 28th.

"Nicanor did a little piece of work this morning and is in good form," Meade said.

Nicanor could be joined by fellow novices Iktitaf and Sweet Wake at Punchestown. The former has been off the track since sustaining an injury when finishing second to Mounthenry at Punchestown in February.

"I think Iktitaf will be back. He got a bad cut last time that kept him off the course, but he did a nice piece of work this morning and I was very pleased with him," explained Meade.

Iktitaf is set to clash with stablemate Cheltenham disappointment Sweet Wake in the VC Bet Champion Novice Hurdle. Sweet Wake was considered something of an Irish banker for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, for which he started 5 to 2 favourite, but was only fifth behind Noland and runner-up Straw Bear, who may also reoppose in the race.

Meade could also field smart novice chaser Wild Passion if he runs well at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

First Gold has been retired by owner JP McManus and trainer Francois Doumen following his run in the John Smith's Grand National. The 13-year-old, who unseated his rider at the 23rd fence at Aintree, will be retired to McManus' Martinstown Stud in Co Limerick, where former champion staying hurdler Baracouda is also based.