Hourigan Happy With Beef Ahead Of Betfair Chase

Michael Hourigan is looking forward to running Beef Or Salmon in the three-mile #200,000 Betfair Chase (1.50pm) at Haydock Park on Saturday, November 18, after declaring himself pleased with the 10-year-old following a piece of work on Tuesday morning.

Hourigan revealed today: 'Beef Or Salmon worked yesterday and he´s fine - I´m very happy with him. He´s a year older but he´s in grand form and we´re looking forward to Saturday, all being well.

'He´s better when the ground is soft so we just would like a bit of rain. The softer the better for him.'

Beef Or Salmon has landed nine Grade One victories in a glittering career, and was a length and a quarter runner-up to the Robert Alner-trained Kingscliff in the inaugural Betfair Chase in 2005, with that year´s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup victor Kicking King in third.

The Joe Craig-owned star´s latest triumph came in the Grade One James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase at Down Royal on November 4, when he defeated the 2006 totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition by a neck.

Beef Or Salmon´s Down Royal success came in the hands of Andrew McNamara who was partnering the gelding for the first time over fences, having ridden him twice previously over hurdles.

Hourigan, who also has Church Island entered in the race, commented: 'Andrew (McNamara) gave him a good ride at Down Royal and hopefully we can have the same result at Haydock.'

The going at Haydock is currently good to soft and blustery showers are forecast for the next two days.

The Betfair Chase is the first leg of the ground-breaking Betfair Million, which offers a generous #1 million bonus to any horse that wins three of the season´s most prestigious Grade One three-mile chases - the Betfair Chase followed by either the Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton or the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over the Christmas period and then adds the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

The inaugural running of the Betfair Chase lived up to its star billing and this year´s renewal is guaranteed to produce another superb spectacle with a top-class 14-strong entry, including two from Ireland and a trio from France.

The Arnaud Chaille-Chaille-trained Grade One winner Mid Dancer heads the French challenge. He pleased connections when runner-up to Monet´s Garden at Carlisle on October 29, and could be joined by stablemate Super Bowl, as well as the Francois Doumen-trained totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup fourth L´Ami.

Others that could feature in the fantastic contest include last year´s victor Kingscliff, alongside the Paul Nicholls-trained Grade One Tingle Creek Chase winner Kauto Star who showed his well-being with an easy success in the Grade Two Bonusprint.com Old Roan Chase at Aintree on October 22.

The Jonjo O´Neill-trained Iris´s Gift, winner of the Grade One Ladbrokes World Hurdle in 2004, could take his chance, as may last season´s Stan James King George VI Chase runner-up Monkerhostin, Henrietta Knight´s exciting young chaser Racing Demon, Take The Stand and Bewleys Berry.

13-8 Favourite For The Betfair Chase

Kauto Star opened up as the 11-4 favourite for the Betfair Chase when the market first opened on Betfair, but the impressive Aintree winner is now into 13-8 on the exchange for Saturday´s showpiece at Haydock.

Beef Or Salmon is the 9-2 second favourite but the other horse for money has been L´Ami, supported from over 11-1 into 6-1.

Last year´s Betfair Chase winner Kingscliff is 8-1, with French Champion Hurdle winner Mid Dancer a 9-1 chance and 18-1+ the remainder.

BETFAIR CHASE - Betfair bet: 13-8 Kauto Star, 9-2 Beef Or Salmon, 6-1 L´Ami, 8-1 Kingscliff, 9-1 Mid Dancer, 18-1 Iris´s Gift, 34-1 Ollie Magern