What A Friend led home Money Trix to give the British raiders a 1-2 in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.

KAUTO STAR and Imperial Commander have been awarded a joint-performance figure of 174 following their thrilling battle in last Saturday’s Betfair Chase.

AS a standing dish on the National Hunt scene in these islands for seven years now, and as one of the most successful horses of his generation, it was only fitting Beef Or Salmon received an emotional and heart-warming farewell in the wake of his final run in the Guinness Gold Cup here yesterday.

They've been cheered by thousands throughout their stellar careers and they're heading into retirement without a murmur of complaint.

Neptune Collonges put up a tremendous performance to secure back-to-back successes in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup at the Irish venue.

Today is Guinness Gold Cup today at the Punchestown Festival in Co Kildare.

Neptune Collonges is on course to bid for back-to-back victories in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup later this month.

Beef Or Salmon could race on following his unsuccessful attempt to defy top weight in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

A crack at the 2009 Aintree Grand National is firmly in the sights of Mouse Morris after his Hear The Echo stormed to success in the Powers Whiskey-sponsored Irish equivalent at Fairyhouse.

BEEF Or Salmon could race on following his unsuccessful attempt to defy top weight in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National yesterday.

BOOKMAKERS are already running scared of Royal County Star as Tony Martin’s hope is set to carry just 10st 4lb in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National on Monday.

Bookmakers are already running scared of Royal County Star as Tony Martin’s hope is set to carry just 10st 4lb in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National on Monday.

Beef Or Salmon heads the weights for the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National after Michael Hourigan declared his 10-time Grade One winner for Monday’s marathon.

Beef Or Salmon is set to tackle the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on March 24.

MICHAEL Hourigan has confirmed that Beef Or Salmon will not run in the John Smith’s Grand National and that retirement is on the cards for the 10-time Grade One winner.

The Listener and Daryl Jacob exorcised the ghosts of last year’s near-miss with a splendid front-running display in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

Darren Williams struck gold under the Wolverhampton floodlights with his first ride since July 2006.

Beef Or Salmon will face seven rivals in his bid to win an 11th Grade One in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday.

ARE you, like me, totally confused when it comes to the Grade 1 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Beef Or Salmon is poised to crown a glorious career with a tilt at the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 5.

WILLIE Mullins fears John Smith’s Grand National talking horse Snowy Morning has been harshly treated by the handicapper – despite bookmakers thrusting him to favouritism for the Aintree showpiece.

Mr Pointment will have to defy a welter of statistics if he is to claim John Smith’s Grand National glory at Aintree.

Nick Mitchell is preparing himself for another few days with just The Listener for company as the pair travel over for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday week.

ANTE-POST punters have suffered a blow yesterday when trainer Martin Brassil revealed Numbersixvalverde had not been entered for the John Smith’s Grand National after failing to make sufficient progress from injury.

MICHAEL Hourigan will leave it late before deciding whether to run Mossbank in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday week.

Michael Hourigan will leave it late before deciding whether to run Mossbank in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday week.

Kauto Star and Denman head a high-class entry of 42 for the most prestigious prize in steeplechasing, the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Paul Nicholls is 1-4 with Coral to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup with reigning champion Kauto Star or the upcoming Denman after the latter stamped his class on the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.

PAUL NICHOLLS is confident Denman can pick up the gauntlet from Kauto Star in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown today.

RUBY WALSH, fresh from a spectacular return to the winner’s enclosure aboard Kauto Star at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day, can guide Denman to victory in the Grade 1 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown this afternoon.

Denman will take on five rivals in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on Friday.

Ferdy Murphy is under no illusions as to the magnitude of the task which awaits L'Antartique at Leopardstown on Friday.

Ferdy Murphy is under no illusions as to the magnitude of the task which awaits L’Antartique at Leopardstown on Friday.

Paul Nicholls is far from concerned by the prospect of decent ground ahead of Denman’s assault on the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.

Denman and The Listener both feature among the 12 preliminary entries for the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.

Kauto Star proved he is still the best chaser in the land as he bounced back to his brilliant best to win the Betfair Chase at Haydock for a second successive year.

MOSSBANK, so impressive when winning the Munster National at Limerick, stepped up in class in spectacular fashion to land the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

Mossbank put up an impressive performance to give trainer Michael Hourigan his sixth victory in the Clonmel Oil Chase.

Justified will bid for Grade One win number two when he tackles three miles for just the second time in a 24-race career in Saturday’s James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase.

Dusty Sheehy is keen to give Justified another chance to prove he stays three miles in the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase at Down Royal on November 3.

Beef Or Salmon is set to return to action in Sunday’s Hacketts Bookmakers Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh.

Robert Alner has outlined some early-season objectives for his smart chaser The Listener.

YOU would have to describe this as a nerves of steel drive.

Andrew McNamara is looking forward to the Cheltenham Festival after securing his best ever book of rides for the meeting.