BEEF OR SALMON, Ireland’s leading totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup contender, is bang on course for the blue riband after scoping clean yesterday morning.

DERMOT WELD’S Queen Astrid stormed into Cheltenham Royal and SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle contention with a 20 lengths success in the Murray O’Laoire Architects’ Mares Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

Queen Astrid booked her Cheltenham Festival ticket with an impressive success at Limerick today.

QUEEN ASTRID is fancied to land the best race of the weekend in Ireland, the Woodlands Park 100 Johnstown Novice Hurdle at Naas tomorrow.

BEEF OR SALMON pleased trainer Michael Hourigan when popping over four hurdles at home yesterday morning and is impossible to oppose in tomorrow’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

BARRY GERAGHTY is fancied to ride three winners, for three different trainers, at Cork tomorrow.

DERMOT WELD added to his gains earlier in the week with Queen Astrid when Akshar made a successful debut over jumps in the O’Dwyers’ Stillorgan Orchard Maiden Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.

LIKE-A-BUTTERFLY is fancied to provide the solution to the featured Grade One Durkan New Homes Novice ’Chase at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day.

Aidan O’Brien will aim All Too Beautiful at the Vodafone Oaks without another outing after the filly ran out a comprehensive winner at Navan yesterday.

Aidan O’Brien will aim All Too Beautiful at the Vodafone Oaks without another outing after the filly ran out a comprehensive winner at Navan today.

ALISAR can see Johnny Murtagh back among the winners, following the trials and tribulations he suffered aboard Six Perfections in Sunday’s Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh, in the Ashbourne Median Auction Race at Fairyhouse tonight.

DERMOT WELD’S rapidly improving Humilis is flying up through the grades and she enjoyed her biggest success to date when taking the Listed Blue Wind Stakes at Cork last night.