Beef to be a regular on the menu
Beef Or Salmon will see plenty of action on the run-up to the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup next March after his victory at Punchestown yesterday.
Trainer Michael Hourigan has no intention of sending him out against Best Mate at the Festival with lack of experience blighting his winning opportunity.
The trainer has mapped out a busy schedule for his charge, who could possibly reappear next Sunday in the Grade Three Hilly Way Chase at Cork, which he won last year.
Next stop after that will be the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown, followed by the Pillar Chase at Cheltenham in January, possibly the Hennessy Gold Cup back at Leopardstown, and then the Gold Cup in March.
“They are all possibles,” Hourigan said. “He went to Cork last year after Clonmel and it’s possible he could run there if it is an easy touch.
“He needs racing experience and we will definitely be going to the Ericsson. If Best Mate comes, that would not put me off in the least.
“He probably paid the penalty at Cheltenham last March for lack of experience and because of that we will be going for the Pillar Chase.
“People said last year I should have gone there, but they won’t be able to say that this time.”
Beef Or Salmon returned to winning form with a convincing success in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.
The darling of the Irish jumps scene blundered his chance away with a final-fence error at Clonmel last time, but he jumped much better this time under a positive Timmy Murphy ride.
The two-and-a-half-mile contest developed into a battle between Hourigan’s ace and British raider Tiutchev, but Tony McCoy’s mount made a mess of the last and that sealed his fate, although the 4-5 favourite looked to be on top at the time.
Beef Or Salmon had three and a half lengths in hand at the line, with Tiutchev and Rince Ri filling the minor placings. Native Upmanship never threatened and finished fifth.
“Timmy said after he had ridden in the handicap chase that the ground was rough and he wasn’t in favour of running,” said Hourigan.
“I walked the track and decided we would run, but he would stay wide, off the chopped ground.
“He didn’t flinch today. He jumped the first upsides and showed plenty of spirit. The trip wasn’t a worry to me beforehand, but we were always going to be a bit more positive today.”
Murphy said: “He jumped super and was much sharper. He was just rusty at Clonmel, but we did schooling work earlier this week, including over hurdles, and that helped to wind him up.”
McCoy, meanwhile, felt Tiutchev’s mistake had no real bearing on the eventual result.
“If they’d gone a bit quicker early on it would have helped, but I was well beaten when he made the mistake at the last. I was never going to win in the straight,” he said.
Rince Ri’s trainer Ted Walsh said his charge would renew rivalry with the winner at Christmas before being aimed at the Grand National.
Arthur Moore felt Native Upmanship would improve a great deal for what was his seasonal reappearance.
“The horse was very rusty and will come on a lot for that run. I’m happy and he’ll run at Leopardstown at Christmas, when he has a choice of two engagements,” he said.
