Sport

Salmon '100 per cent' for festival prep race

The Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Beef Or Salmon is on course for his customary festival warm-up at Leopardstown on Sunday week…

Brian O'Connor Racing Correspondent
Thu Feb 02 2006 - 00:00

The Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Beef Or Salmon is on course for his customary festival warm-up at Leopardstown on Sunday week where he could be in line to emulate some other very famous names.

Trainer Michael Hourigan reported his stable star to be "100 per cent" yesterday in preparations to try and repeat his 2003 victory in the Hennessy Gold Cup.

"I couldn't be happier with him. He's 100 per cent and the Hennessy at Leopardstown remains the plan," Hourigan said.

Currently it looks like the Hennessy will emerge as an ideal festival prep for Beef Or Salmon with only a total of 10 horses remaining in the race and the triple-Lexus winner rated 10lb clear of his nearest rival, Hedgehunter, who he has already beaten comprehensively this season.

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War Of Attrition, who got to within four lengths of Beef Or Salmon in December's Lexus, is not a Hennessy entry and instead will head straight to the Cheltenham Festival.

His trainer, Mouse Morris, said yesterday: "The Hennessy was never on our agenda. The only race we've missed this season was the Nicholson at Down Royal and all being well we will go straight for the festival."

The result is that Beef Or Salmon is likely to start a red-hot favourite for the Hennessy and may even challenge Carvills Hill (4 to 9) in 1992 as the shortest-priced horse to ever start the race.

Beef Or Salmon is also aiming to become the third horse to win the Hennessy after a three-year gap. Carvill's Hill ( 1989-92) and Florida Pearl (2001-04) managed that. He currently trades as a general 4 to 1 favourite for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

In contrast to the Hennessy, the other big trials on what is always a critical day for Irish horses in the run-up to Cheltenham look set to be ultra-competitive as usual and one trainer aiming at the Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase is Philip Fenton with his impressive Gowran winner Sher Beau.

"He appears to have taken his race last week quite well and all going well we will try for the PJ Moriarty," Fenton said yesterday. "He's a horse who takes a bit of time between his races so we will make our minds up next week. Plans for Cheltenham will depend on the result we get in the Moriarty."

The other Grade trial on Sunday week will be the Deloitte Hurdle and Hourigan also confirmed yesterday that his smart novice, Mossbank, will reappear in the two-and-a-quarter-mile race. Mossbank hasn't been seen since finishing third to Travino and Nicanor at Navan in mid-December.

Brave Inca's trainer Colm Murphy has acknowledged that Ruby Walsh is the likely replacement for Tony McCoy if the British champion jockey is unable to ride him in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

"Ruby would be the obvious one as I presume he hasn't got a ride in the race at present," Murphy said. "We are not jumping the gun and nothing has been decided. Obviously we would love Tony to ride."

McCoy is scheduled to ride Lingo for his employer JP McManus in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton in the middle of this month. A good performance there could see Lingo also take his chance in the Champion at Cheltenham.

Fota Island got an upbeat report on his preparation for the Queen Mother Champion Chase yesterday with Mouse Morris saying: "He is in good form. There have been no problems since he won at Fairyhouse and all being well we will go straight to Cheltenham."

The two and a half mile Kilcash Chase is the feature at Clonmel today where the novice Tumbling Dice will take on more experienced opponents such as the Paddy Power runner-up Camden Tanner and Joueur D'Estruval.

Tumbling Dice was pulled up after a bad mistake at Gowran last week but Tom Taaffe's decision to pitch him into this company looks significant and the trip should be ideal.

The opening maiden hurdles can provide some better fortune for two of the unluckiest horses in the country.

Both Carthalawn and Haydens First have finished runner-up in their last five races but the latter in particular looks to have a good opportunity after a run behind the talented You Sir at Punchestown last time.

Last year's winner, Golden Domer, goes for a repeat win in the handicap hurdle but off a mark over a stone higher in the ratings. A better option may be Belos to reverse previous Cork form with Max Time.