EIGHT horses remain in Sunday’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown, headed by last year’s winner, Beef Or Salmon.

Keen Leader, seen by many as the main danger to Best Mate recording an historic third success in chasing’s blue riband at Cheltenham in March, has been installed a hot favourite for the Hennessy Gold Cup on Sunday week.

THE presence of Alexander Banquet in this afternoon’s Thyestes ’Chase at Gowran Park has reduced the field to just ten, with most trainers deciding there was no point running horses from well out of the handicap.

Connections of Be My Belle are confident of a bold show from the mare as she goes in search of back-to-back victories in the Goulding Thyestes Handicap Chase tomorrow.