Beef Or Salmon could be joined in next month's Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown by his stable companion Hi Cloy providing that horse comes through Tuesday's rescheduled Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles with flying colours.
Trainer Michael Hourigan yesterday confirmed that Hi Cloy will take up the Kinloch Brae engagement in four days' time after yesterday's Thurles card was called off due to waterlogging.
However, Hourigan is also thinking ahead to the prestigious Hennessy prize at Leopardstown on February 10th where Hi Cloy may yet join the double-winner Beef Or Salmon in an all-out assault on the Grade One feature.
"The owner is keen on the Hennessy and that race is in our plan for Hi Cloy," said the Patrickswell trainer. "It's a pity about Thurles getting called off but we will be there on Tuesday."
Beef Or Salmon is already a Hennessy winner in 2003 and last year, when proving 12 lengths too good for the Grand National winner Hedgehunter, and the veteran will tackle the race again next month having finished runner-up to The Listener in the Lexus Chase over Christmas.
"It was a good run but it was unfortunate that he wasn't able to win a 10th Grade One," said Hourigan who added that another attempt on the Cheltenham Gold Cup is still on the cards for Beef Or Salmon.
Dorans Pride (1998) was another Hennessy winner for Hourigan but Willie Mullins has dominated the race in the last decade and he will attempt a seventh success with Hedgehunter next month.
Michael Meagher, racing manager to Hedgehunter's owner, Trevor Hemmings, said yesterday: "Hedgehunter is back in fast work and we're aiming at the Hennessy.
"He missed his run over Christmas as Willie was not quite happy with him but he's on target now.
"All being well, he will probably run in both the Gold Cup and the Grand National again. With the National later this year, he will have an extra week. He managed to cope well with it last year so fingers crossed everything goes okay."
Forget The Past is another Hennessy possible and he too will warm up for it with a run in the Kinloch Brae.
The trainer of last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup third, Michael O'Brien, said: "They are rescheduling Thurles for Tuesday and we will wait for that. If it doesn't go ahead next week, we don't really have a plan for him. We will just have to see what happens."
Yesterday's card was called off at 8am after torrential overnight rain, measuring almost 27mms, fell on the Thurles track.
Ireland's sole hope for tomorrow's Victor Chandler Chase, the Arthur Moore-trained Mansony, has been backed into 3 to 1 joint favourite with the William Hill firm but Davy Russell's intended mount could be denied by the weather.
An inspection will take place at Ascot at 9am this morning but a course spokesman described the chances of racing as "very marginal."
He added: "The forecast is for a minimal amount of rain on Friday and then for 3-4mms on Saturday."
Mansony was cut from 100 to 30 in trading yesterday.
