Hourigan Duo Chasing Gold At Punchestown

Wednesday (April 26)´s 240,000 euros Grade One Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup has attracted a superb eight-strong entry including the Cheltenham Gold Cup first three home - War Of Attrition, Hedgehunter and Forget The Past - as well as Michael Hourigan´s duo, Hi Cloy and Beef Or Salmon, who were today both declared definite starters

Hourigan reported today: 'They´re very well and they both run.'

Hi Cloy scored the fourth Grade One chase success of his career when defeating Queen Mother Champion Chase runner-up Fota Island in the two-and-a-half mile John Smith´s Melling Chase on April 7.

Hourigan commented: 'I was very happy indeed with Hi Cloy at Aintree. He ran to the horse that he is. He´s beaten Kicking King and War Of Attrition in the past, so he´s a fair horse.'

Successful at Punchestown in December when landing the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase over two and a half miles, the nine-year-old is encountering three miles, one furlong for the first time, but he did win a three-mile novice chase at Limerick in March, 2004.

His trainer said: 'I´m not really worried about the distance. He won a point-to-point as a five-year-old but he was always a speed horse so I haven´t really run him over further. The ground wouldn´t be a problem for him.'

Beef Or Salmon won this prestigious contest in 2004 when he defeated Harbour Pilot by four lengths, and this season he collected a fourth victory in the Grade One Lexus Chase and a second success in the Grade One Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

The10-year-old failed to land a blow in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and unseated Paul Carberry in the Betfair Bowl at Aintree, but ran third in a handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse on April 17.

The Patrickswell trainer commented: 'I was very pleased with his run at Fairyhouse. With horses, you can´t be confident, but he´s won the race before and he´s well in himself.

'A winner at Punchestown is the same as having a Cheltenham winner for us.'