Beef Or Salmon faces at least a week on the easy list with the discovery that he was a sick horse when running third to Best Mate on Sunday. Trainer Michael Hourigan took the star stayer home after the Ericsson Chase and had the horse checked out on Sunday night by vet Bill Murphy.
Mucus was found in his lungs which backed up jockey Timmy Murphy's report to the stewards that the horse "gurgled" during the race. "He ate up quite well which is encouraging and he will be put on antibiotics. I would say he will be on the easy list for 10 days. He didn't run any sort of race and I'm glad we've found a reason," Hourigan said yesterday.
Beef Or Salmon drifted out to as high as 16 to 1 with some bookmakers following his lack-lustre effort, but Hourigan has already indicated his willingness for a re-match with Best Mate in the Gold Cup. Before that, however, he hopes to have him ready for an attempt at a second Hennessy Gold Cup success at Leopardstown in early February.
In other news the Racecourse Medical Officers Association, who had threatened to withdraw their services from January 1st, have confirmed that their interim agreement with Association of Irish Racecourses for 2004 will see their members being paid €500 a day. In a statement issued yesterday they also said: "It is clear that Horse Racing Ireland/Turf Club need to employ some full-time Medical Officers to work on tracks in conjunction with our members and we have agreed to co-operate with this."
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