BEST MATE is likely to be defending his Ericsson Chase crown at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day when trainer Henrietta Knight and owner Jim Lewis attempt to win the King George VI Chase for the third year running.

Best Mate took top honours at the inaugural British Horseracing Board Jumps Racing Awards in London today.

Best Mate failed to produce “the same quality of performance” when recording his third successive victory in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, according to British Horseracing Board handicapper Phil Smith.

BEST MATE failed to produce “the same quality of performance” when recording his third successive victory in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, according to British Horseracing Board handicapper Phil Smith.

Beef Or Salmon will work after racing at Limerick on Thursday as he continues his build up to a repeat crack at the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.

BEEF OR SALMON, who has had a major question mark against him since disappointing behind Best Mate in the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown, is right back in the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture.

Veteran chaser Florida Pearl heads a field of seven for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Irish star Beef Or Salmon has been ruled out of a repeat bid at Sunday’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

MICHAEL HOURIGAN will wait and see how Beef Or Salmon goes over the next week or so before committing his stable star to the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday week.

Florida Pearl heads 12 entries for what looks set to be a cracking renewal of the Servo Computer Services' Ascot Chase on Saturday.

Henrietta Knight yesterday reported Best Mate “in great form” two months ahead of his attempt at a third consecutive Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.

FLORIDA PEARL begins what is very likely to be his final assault on the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup when he has his first race for almost nine months at Fairyhouse tomorrow.

Jim Lewis, owner of Best Mate, confirmed at a lunch at Leopardstown racecourse yesterday that his dual Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup winner would return to Ireland next Christmas.

Leopardstown racecourse today announced a new sponsorship agreement with Lexus Ireland which means the premium car marque will back the prestigious contest previously known as the Ericsson Chase.

Beef Or Salmon has recovered from a slight setback and is on course for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.

FLORIDA PEARL could be back in action this weekend as he begins his build up to another tilt at the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.

BEST MATE remains odds-on across the board to win an historic third Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup following the publication of the entries yesterday.

Florida Pearl could be back in action this weekend as he begins his build up to another tilt at the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Best Mate heads the 32 entries revealed today for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup, which takes place on March 18.

GROWTH was evident across all aspects of horse racing in Ireland during the past year, with attendances, betting figures and sponsorship all on the increase.

Beef Or Salmon appears to have recovered from the bug which resulted in a below-par effort when a well-beaten third behind Best Mate in the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.

Best Mate is as short as 4-5 to win the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup for a third successive year after he silenced the doubters with a superb performance to win the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.

“DIFFERENT CLASS,” was Jim Culloty’s summation after his mount, Best Mate, toyed with the opposition in yesterday’s Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown.

Best Mate stormed home in the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown today.

Connections of Best Mate are hoping conditions at Leopardstown do not get too testing ahead of tomorrow’s Ericsson Chase.

Edredon Bleu proved a more than able substitute for Best Mate with a memorable victory in the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park today.

Jonjo O'Neill's horse Joss Naylor will miss tomorrow’s Coral Welsh National at Chepstow due to illness.

Keen Leader will miss his intended outing in Sunday’s Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown.

French trainer Guillaume Macaire is praying for a “little bit of luck” for Jair Du Cochet in the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.

HENRIETTA KNIGHT yesterday delivered an upbeat bulletin on Best Mate, who bypasses the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on St Stephen’s Day in favour of a tilt at the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.

FRENCH challenger Jair Du Cochet is set to go off a hot favourite for the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on St Stephen’s Day.

Best Mate is to bypass the Pertemps King George VI Chase on St Stephen's Day and will run instead in the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Trainer Willie Mullins could be double-handed in the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown a week on Sunday.

HENRIETTA KNIGHT will visit Kempton on Friday to walk the course as she decides whether to point the brilliant Best Mate at the Pertemps King George VI Chase on Boxing Day.

HENRIETTA KNIGHT has reported Best Mate “60 per cent likely” to go for the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen's Day.

Henrietta Knight today reported that Best Mate was “60 per cent likely” to go for the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Beef Or Salmon will see plenty of action on the run-up to the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup next March after his victory at Punchestown yesterday.

Connections of Best Mate today appeared to be leaning towards a tilt at the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas with their dual Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.

Beef Or Salmon was today reported in good form following his return to action at Clonmel on Thursday.

Trainer Michael Hourigan has issued an upbeat report ahead of Beef Or Salmon’s seasonal reappearance in the Clonmel Oil Chase tomorrow.

Beef Or Salmon could contest the Clonmel Oil Chase on November 20 after missing his intended run at Leopardstown yesterday.

Trainer Michael Hourigan is keeping his eye on the weather ahead of Beef Or Salmon’s possible seasonal debut at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Connections of Beef Or Salmon will look to the skies before deciding whether their star seven-year-old will make his reappearance in this weekend’s Hackett’s Bookmakers Irish Cesarewitch.