Beef Or Salmon failed to shine on his return to action at Limerick today as he finished a well-beaten fifth under top weight in the Anglo Irish Bank Munster National Handicap Chase.

Beef Or Salmon is a short-priced favourite to take the Anglo Irish Bank Munster National at Limerick on Sunday.

Andrewjames, formerly trained in England by Paul Nicholls and Mark Pitman, sprang a 33-1 surprise in the Kildare Hunt Club Chase over the banks course at the Punchestown Festival opened today.

Edward O’Grady reports Takagi to be on course for the Martell Cognac Grand National after his victory at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

Takagi booked his ticket for the Martell Cognac Grand National with an impressive victory in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse yesterday.

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.

A field of 23, headed by Aintree absentee Davids Lad, will go to post for the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

THIRTY-NINE horses remain in the €170,000 Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.

Martell Cognac Cup winner First Gold heads the weights on 12st for the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National.

MARTELL COGNAC CUP winner First Gold heads the weights on 12st for the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National.

Golden Cross is a best-priced 12-1 chance for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham next month following an impressive victory Fairyhouse this afternoon in the Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle.

ARTHUR MOORE and Conor O’Dwyer can combine to land a double with Back Nine and Native Jack at Punchestown today.

NATIVE UPMANSHIP, winner of the race a year ago, has to be fancied to do the business again in the MacLochlainn Road Markings Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles this afternoon.

Be My Belle could be a possible runner in the Irish National later this year after taking the €75,000 Thyestes Chase in the hands of Timmy Murphy at Gowran Park.

BRILLIANT novice Be My Belle, carrying the colours of Midleton, Co Cork lady Mary Aherne and racing from 9lbs out of the handicap, spreadeagled the field to turn in a spectacular performance in the Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park yesterday.

THE IAWS Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park today should, at least in theory, be relatively easy to solve considering only four of the 14 possibilites are running off their proper marks.

Rookie Mario Dominguez won a stormy Honda Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise in which nine cars were involved in a spectacular accident at the start.

Norman Williamson is set to ride at Fairyhouse after recovering from a fall at the same track.

Ted Walsh may have ruled Papillon out of next weekend’s Martell Grand National at Aintree, thereby foregoing the chance of recording a quick double from his charge in the marathon event.