Beef Or Salmon proved he is still one of the best in the business when lowering the colours of War Of Attrition in a thrilling renewal of the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase at Down Royal.

Consistently average at the Cheltenham Festival but quite exemplary in his own country, Michael Hourigan's charge, sent off the 11 to 4 second favourite, won the three-mile Grade One with a neck to spare from the Cheltenham Gold Cup hero.

Cloudy Bays cut out most of the early running before Justified gained the upper hand four out.

Both 4 to 7 favourite War Of Attrition and Beef Or Salmon were travelling ominously well near the head of affairs, however.

Although the former stumbled slightly turning for home, Conor O'Dwyer still nudged his partner into the lead with a crisp leap at the penultimate fence.

But Beef Or Salmon, relishing the small field and soft ground, responded to Andrew McNamara's every call and moved upsides his nearest rival at the last.

An absorbing duel ensued thereafter with Beef Or Salmon just getting up to land the Down Royal feature for a second time and notch his ninth success at the highest level.

A delighted McNamara said: "Once he got to the last he knew his way. He plugged away throughout but I thought I was beaten at the third and fourth last."

O'Dwyer felt War Of Attrition lost nothing in defeat and said: "The horse stumbled four out but it made no real difference."

War Of Attrition's owner Michael O'Leary added: "We have been beaten by a horse who has now won nine Grade One races and there's no shame in that. The ground might have been a bit tacky for him, though."

Beef Or Salmon was cut from 33 to 1 to 25s by VC Bet for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, while War Of Attrition was eased to 7 to 2 (from 3 to 1) to retain his crown at Prestbury Park.

In Compliance survived an almighty scare at the ninth fence before justifying favouritism in the Grade Three Killultagh Properties Ltd Chase.