Beef Or Salmon In The Bowl

Top-class Irish chaser Beef Or Salmon bids to end his British hoodoo tomorrow when he tackles Aintree?s #150,000 Betfair Bowl Chase, the highlight of the opening day at the John Smith?s Grand National meeting.

The 10-year-old, trained by Michael Hourigan and ridden tomorrow by Paul Carberry, has been brilliant plenty of times in his homeland, winning 14 times from 26 starts, including eight Grade 1 events. However, his travels across the Irish Sea have yielded no victories.

His three attempts on the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup have been particularly disappointing (he finished 11th in last month?s race) although his best effort in Britain came in December?s Betfair Chase at nearby Haydock, where he was second to Kingscliff. Perhaps he can go one better in tomorrow?s race, which is also sponsored by the betting exchange leaders?

Beef Or Salmon faces eight rivals in tomorrow?s three-mile, one furlong chase - curiously, none of the nine won their latest start, an unusual statistic in a race of this quality, although they include some of the best chasers seen this season.

Seven of tomorrow?s field ran in the totesport Gold Cup, in which L?Ami proved best by finishing fourth to War Of Attrition, one place ahead of Take The Stand and two in front of Monkerhostin - other runners from that race who reappear in the Betfair Bowl are Royal Emperor (eighth at Cheltenham), Ollie Magern (17th) and Celestial Gold (unseated rider).

Mick Fitzgerald rode L?Ami in the totesport Gold Cup, but the horse was sold earlier this week to JP McManus who retains AP McCoy, and the multiple champion jockey therefore takes the reins at Aintree.

The field for the Betfair Bowl is completed by My Will, who represents the combination of trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Ruby Walsh, and See You Sometime, from Seamus Mullins? Wiltshire stable. My Will was fourth in Cheltenham?s Ryanair Chase last month while See You Sometime was eighth in the same race.

for immediate release, Wednesday, April 5, 2006 Fabulous Opening Day For John Smith?s Grand National meeting

The #150,000 Betfair Bowl Chase is the headline act on a sensational opening day of the John Smith?s Grand National meeting. The three-mile race features L?Ami, who finished fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and who now races in the J P McManus colours, Take The Stand, who was fifth, and Monkerhostin, who was sixth. Michael Hourigan?s Beef Or Salmon, who was 11th at Cheltenham on a track that the trainer has finally agreed does not suit the horse, will also be one to watch. Beef Or Salmon will be seeking a remarkable ninth Grade 1 success on his first visit to Aintree.

The first six home in the Triumph Hurdle will all be racing on the opening day. The Philip Hobbs? double-act of Detroit City and Fair Along dominated the Cheltenham event and Detroit City is again likely to find his stablemate setting the pace in the #120,000 The Sportsman Anniversary Hurdle, over two miles and 110yds, the richest novices? event at the three-day meeting. Pace Shot, a 100/1 fourth in the Triumph, Afsoun, who was fifth, and Turko, who was sixth, will also line up in a fascinating renewal. Blazing Baileys, who was third in the Cheltenham event, takes his chance in the #55,000 Citroen C4 Mersey Novices Hurdle, over two and a half miles, later on the card. My Way De Solzen established himself as one of the stars of the season with his doughty display in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, and Alan King?s six-year-old could have another battle on his hands in the opening race, the John Smith?s and Flixton Conservative Club Liverpool Hurdle, over three miles and 110yds, in which he meets Henry Daly?s Mighty Man, who gets four pounds for a four-length beating at Cheltenham.

The #35,000 John Smith?s Foxhunter?s Chase, over two miles and five furlongs, is the first occasion at the meeting that the horses run over the Grand National fences. Last year?s winner Katarino, from the Robert Waley-Cohen stable, is likely to start favourite for the second year running.

The #70,000 Red Rum Chase could be the most difficult race on the card to unravel, although Paul Nicholls? Andreas, who fell at Cheltenham, may be a star-in-waiting. The final race on the opening day is the #30,000 John Smith?s HBLB TBA Mares Only Standard Open NH Flat race and in total, there is #530,000 of prize money to be won on what promises to be a tremendously competitive day?s racing.

Charles Barnett, managing director of Aintree racecourse, said: 'This must be one of the strongest-ever opening day cards at the John Smith?s Grand National meeting. The terrific support of trainers and owners has meant that we have a real star-studded three days of racing.'