Beef Or Salmon can kick–start season
Michael Hourigan’s charge made a successful chasing debut in this event last year before retaining an unbeaten chasing record on home soil.
Of course, hopes that he’d become the latest novice to win the Tote Gold Cup at Cheltenham ended when he crashed at the third fence.
But Beef Or Salmon remains an exciting prospect. And the patience shown by trainer Hourigan in recent weeks, waiting for suitable ground, confirms his high regard for the son of Cajetano.
Conqueror of Sackville in this race last year, Beef Or Salmon then toyed with the opposition in a minor two-miler at Cork but burst into the chasing limelight when beating Colonel Braxton and Harbour Pilot in the ‘Ericsson’ at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.
In February, he met those rivals again in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup and, on 5lb. worse terms, produced a similarly impressive display. Unfortunately, his early exit in the Gold Cup denied us the mouth-watering prospect of a clash with Best Mate.
Today’s race gives Beef Or Salmon an ideal opportunity to kick-start his season.
And he’ll have to be fit and well to get the better of the Henrietta Knight-trained veteran Edredon Bleu, winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase back in 2000.
Ridden by Jim Culloty and carrying the famous colours of Jim Lewis, Edredon Bleu has proven his well-being already this season by winning the Desert Orchid Chase at Wincanton and the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter.
A fluent-jumping front-runner, Edredon Bleu will pose a serious threat to Beef Or Salmon. But the English raider’s style of racing should set the race up ideally for Timmy Murphy who will presumably
ride Beef Or Salmon with his customary confidence, coming late, from well off the pace.
Ruby Walsh’s mount Knife Edge might prove best of the ‘supporting cast’ in a race which should develop into a fascinating duel between Beef Or Salmon and Edredon Bleu, with the younger horse expected to prevail.
