Racing: Most of the pre-race build-up so far has surrounded the question of who will ride Beef Or Salmon in Sunday's Hennessy Gold Cup, but trainer Michael Hourigan's new worry is the possible impact of a small field in the Leopardstown feature.
Only seven horses were left in at yesterday's forfeit stage, and they include the rank outsiders, Hersov and Jack High.
The Noel Chance-trained Murphy's Cardinal will be the sole cross-sea raider, and the field will be completed by Pizarro, Cloudy Bays and Rule Supreme, who all finished behind Beef Or Salmon in the Lexus Chase at Christmas.
Despite that, Hourigan is concerned as to how the race will unfold when Beef Or Salmon tries to follow up his 2003 Hennessy success and continues his preparation for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
"It could turn out to be trappy. I hope they all run, as we want a proper race," the Limerick trainer said yesterday. "All these races can turn messy. Moscow Flyer's race at the weekend was like that and Dorans Pride ran in enough of them before. Anything can go wrong."
Beef Or Salmon himself got an "everything is fine" bulletin as a final decision on who will ride him has been postponed until this morning.
Hourigan spoke to the horse's regular rider, Timmy Murphy, at the weekend but has decided to leave the final call on whether Paul Carberry will take over at the weekend to Beef Or Salmon's owners.
"The owners (Joe Craig and Dan McLernon) will discuss it and make a decision. I don't want it to be me who says yes or no," he said. "I expect it will be the morning before we know."
There was more definite news concerning Rule Supreme's regular rider, David Casey, who received the all-clear yesterday to return to action after over two months on the sidelines with a leg injury.
"Charlie Swan has a couple of runners at Clonmel on Thursday so I will ride there," Casey said. "It will be a busy weekend but it's good to be back and I hope I can stay injury-free for the rest of the season."
Rule Supreme exited the Lexus at the last fence when disputing second place with Best Mate. Casey, who rode the Willie Mullins horse to victory in last season's SunAlliance and French Champion Hurdle, will try to engineer a dramatic reversal of form.
"He made one or two mistakes down the back at Christmas and they came at the wrong time when the others quickened. But he seems to be progressing with every run like he did last season," Casey added.
Cloudy Bays ran fourth in the Lexus and since then has won at Tramore, before finishing out of the places in last Saturday's Pillar Chase at Cheltenham.
Nine entries remain in the Grade One Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase, including the JP McManus-owned duo of Mark The Man and Like-A-Butterfly.
The latter hasn't run since a blood disorder was discovered after a disappointing run at Christmas, but she could miss out on this weekend's race.
"If he stays alright Mark The Man will go to Leopardstown and Like-A-Butterfly could go to the Navan the following weekend. But if something happens to him, she will take his place," said McManus' spokesman, Frank Berry, yesterday.
"Noel seems happy with Mark The Man at the moment. Like-A-Butterfly looks to be fine again and back in good form. If she does have to run on Sunday I don't think the trip will be a problem," he added.
Mark The Man has been installed a 6 to 4 favourite to make up for his Christmas disappointment when he was one of a number of Noel Meade-trained horses to run poorly.
Tom Foley's Royal Paradise leads an entry of 20 for the Deloitte Novice Hurdle, a race that threw up last season's Supreme Novices winner Brave Inca. Royal Paradise is a 5 to 2 favourite with Paddy Power.
In contrast, just eight horses remain in the Grade Two Cashmans Juvenile Hurdle and they include the Durkan winner, Arch Rebel, as well as the Kevin Ryan-trained Karelian, who won at Doncaster only last Friday.
PADDY POWER BETTING
Hennessy Gold Cup: 8-15 Beef Or Salmon, 9-2 Rule Supreme and Pizarro, 10 Murphy's Cardinal, 16 Cloudy Bays, 50 Jack High, 100 Hersov.
PJ Moriarty Novice Chace: 6-4 Mark The Man, 5-2 Newmill, 4 Carigeen Victor, 7 Well Presented, 10 Strong Project, 16 Bar.
Deloitte Novice Hurdle: 5-2 Royal Paradise, 6 Rocket Ship, Sweet Kiln and The Railway Man, 8 Blazing Liss, 12 Lissbonney Project, 14 Bar.
