Beef beaten into fifth behind Canyon

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.

Ireland’s top-rated chaser came under pressure three from home in the three-mile contest and was outpaced, although he did stay on close home under Timmy Murphy.

Jessica Harrington’s Colca Canyon (8-1) proved a game winner under Robert Power when getting the better of Tony McCoy’s mount Risk Accessor by half a length. Takagi finished well to take third.

William Hill have left Beef Or Salmon’s price for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup unchanged at 10-1, but Cashmans were unimpressed and pushed him out to 12-1 from 8-1.

Trainer Michael Hourigan was, however, satisfied with Beef Or Salmon’s effort.

He said: “I’m pleased and that’s all that counts. To give two stone to seasoned and fit handicappers was a very tough task. I didn’t fancy him to give the weight away.”

Murphy reported that his mount “had a good blow at the top of the hill but never backed off racing and saw it out to the finish”.

Beef Or Salmon’s next race is likely to be the James Nicholson Chase at Down Royal on November 6.

Jim Culloty has been stood down for seven days after suffering a blow to the nose and being slightly concussed.

He was unseated from Barrow Drive at the second-last fence when sharing the lead with Colca Canyon and Risk Accessor.