Beef Has Haydock On Menu

Michael Hourigan insists Beef Or Salmon will still be a force to be reckoned with in the top staying chases this season, despite the disappointments of last year.

Hourigan's 10-year-old gained the eighth Grade One success of his career when he won the Irish Hennessy at Leopardstown in February, but another below-par performance in the Cheltenham Gold Cup was followed with an early exit at Aintree.

The gelding did perform with credit in the inaugural running of the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, however, and that will again be his first major target of the season.

'He'll do something similar to last year. He might have a run over hurdles before he goes to Haydock but the plan at the moment is the same as last year, weather permitting,' said Hourigan.

'I don't think we'll be sending him to Cheltenham for a prep. The prize money at tracks like Leopardstown and Fairyhouse is so good we have no need to go anywhere else. If he wins those races he'll win 200,000 again.

'He's won eight Grade Ones and bad horses don't do that, there might only be a few runners in them but they are Grade Ones,' Hourigan told At The Races.

'I don't think the undulations have anything to do with it (his performances at Cheltenham). He had a horrendous fall there the first year and I suppose he still remembers it.

'It took a long time to get him right after that first fall. I think we'll still aim at Cheltenham though. Nothing ventured nothing gained.'

(C) PA Sport