Now or never for Beef Or Salmon
Michael Hourigan's nine-year-old can finally leave all the many and varied excuses behind and land this afternoon's totesport Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
I have no doubt that if the real Beef Or Salmon faces the starter then he is capable of going very close indeed.
A year ago he finished a fast-finishing fourth behind Best Mate, coming from well off the pace after as bad a preparation as was possible.
Accepting that this season hasn't been without its problems either, there is no doubt he will strip in far better condition than twelve months ago.
The selection, however, does have to leave a poor effort in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown last time firmly behind if he is to take a hand.
He was beaten 14 lengths into second place by Rule Supreme, but immediately afterwards Paul Carberry reported to Hourigan that the horse had gurgled turning in and he subsequently failed to scope clean.
Beef Or Salmon is surely much better judged on his previous seven lengths defeat of Best Mate in the Ericsson at Leopardstown at Christmas.
He has given his trainer every satisfaction in recent days and, if getting into a rhythm early for his talented pilot, can do the business.
There have been several defections on the lead-up to the race but there remain plenty dangers, headed by Strong Flow.
He has made a tremendous recovery from serious injury and showed, when second to ill-fated Farmer Jack in the Aon Chase at Newbury, that he is a prime candidate.
A close third then was Martin Pipe's Celestial Gold and he has to be on the short-list as well.
Kicking King was superb when landing the King George at Kempton, but a recent hold-up and doubts about him getting the trip make Tom Taaffe' charge a risky proposition!
Strangely Brown can run a big race for Eric McNamara in the JCB Triumph Hurdle. This tough sort is unbeaten in three outings over flights and there was a lot to admire in the way he battled to beat Barati by two lengths at Leopardstown on his latest appearance.
Preference, however, is for Cerium, back to form at Wincanton, who is held in high regard by Ruby Walsh.
Walsh could also take the Grand Annual Chase on lightly-raced and progressive L'Ange Au Ciel, like Cerium, trained by Paul Nicholls.
Selections
2.00 Cerium (n.b); 2.35 Brewster; 3.15 Beef Or Salmon (nap); 4.00 Sleeping Night; 4.40 L'ange Au Ciel; 5.20 Beechcourt.
