Beef Or Salmon may be the veteran of the field for Saturday's Betfair Chase at Haydock but even the presence of the Gold Cup champion Kauto Star can't stop Michael Hourigan dreaming it could be third time lucky in the race for his stable star.
The 11-year-old has been runner-up in both renewals of the Haydock feature to date, behind Kingscliff in 2005 and Kauto Star last year, and despite not having run since last April's Punchestown festival Hourigan isn't hesitating to give Beef Or Salmon another crack at breaking his British duck.
"Even though I've had no run with him so far this season, I'm very happy with him and he worked well this morning. I'm certainly happy to go," the Co Limerick trainer said yesterday.
Saturday's race will take place over Haydock's new combined hurdles and chase track with portable obstacles replacing the old drop fences that made the Lancashire course such a stiff test of jumping. The change is not something that concerns the Beef Or Salmon camp however.
"He has only ever schooled over plastic fences here so that's not a problem," said Hourigan who has yet to finalise jockey arrangements for the Betfair raid.
"A lot of the jockeys I like are retained by other trainers so who knows who'll be free by Saturday. I don't know yet who will ride which gives me a bit of a problem, but only a small one. Two or three lads have already been on so there's no shortage."
The other Irish Betfair possible is Offshore Account whose trainer Charlie Swan reported: "He's a possibility but we will see who will run or not as he's also in the Hennessy the following weekend."
Kauto Star has been installed a general odds on shot to repeat his 2006 triumph while Beef Or Salmon is a best priced 16 to 1 shot to land the Betfair at the third time of asking.
Dessie Hughes has sounded a positive note ahead of Hardy Eustace's attempt to follow up last year's easy win in the Coral Ascot Hurdle on Saturday and also indicated that the former dual Champion Hurdler will be campaigned over longer distances than two miles this season.
Hardy Eustace put in an encouraging effort on the flat in the Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh last month and Hughes reported: "We were very happy with that. He led into the straight and just got a bit tired. He appears as good as ever. He's working well and he looks very well."
The Curragh trainer expressed surprise at how easily Hardy Eustace won the Ascot race last year but said: "I don't know if the others were up to their best and he was getting 8lb. Still, it was an exceptionally good run, although his win in the AIG was just as good."
As for future running plans, Hughes pointed to staying contests and said: "I think it's easier for him as over two miles the gun is put to his head because he must make it or be up there. He won the Sun Alliance going away as a novice so staying three miles should not be a problem."
Willie Mullins is thinking ahead to Newbury's Hennessy Gold Cup for his SunAlliance Chase runner-up Snowy Morning who is rated as low as 10 to 1 for the traditional chase feature.
"He's in good form and I'm happy with the horse. The aim is to run although a lot will depend on what happens with the topweight (Kauto Star.) But Newbury is the plan," he said. Mullins also has the option of running his Thyestes winner Homer Wells in Sunday's William Hill Troytown Chase at Navan after a total of 29 names remained in the three-mile event after yesterday's forfeit stage.
Willie Mullins could be the man to supply the opening winner at Fairyhouse today as O'Hana's narrow win on heavy going at Galway is an encouraging sign for the novice hurdle considering testing ground is on the cards. The mare's biggest threat is likely to come from the highly-rated Punchestown winner Jered although the surface could swing things O'Hana's way.
Woodbine Willie unseated his rider behind Rinroe at Galway but the balance of his bumper form, including a Grade One second to Mick The Man at the Punchestown festival, means he looks worth another shout in the maiden hurdle. Rocco's Hall only just failed to edge the hot favourite Kimberlite King at Galway and a repeat of that performance will make the Edward O'Grady-trained runner hard to beat in the bumper.
