Beef Or Salmon On Course For Gold Cup
Beef Or Salmon underlined his status as joint favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with an easy win in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
The odds-on 2/5 shot finished 12 lengths ahead of last year’s Grand National winner Hedgehunter despite making a bad mistake five fences from home.
Beef Or Salmon is the 5/1 joint favourite with Monkerhostin to land the big Cheltenham prize on March 17th.
The 10-year-old’s trainer, Michael Hourigan said: “I was nervous beforehand as he was there to be shot at.”
“For a change jockey Paul Carberry said he was jumping too good today, giving his fences plenty of scope and height.”
“I would love it to be his year and if he gets there fit and healthy as he was today, he has every chance.”
Hedgehunter’s trainer Willie Mullins said: “I was delighted with that. I was hoping to cause an upset, but he didn’t manage it.”
“I will make a decision in the early part of next week as to whether he runs in the Gold Cup or goes straight to Aintree.”
