Leopardstown Set To Showcase Irish Point-To-Pointers On Sunday Beef Or Salmon, odds-on favourite for Sunday´s Grade 1 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, is one of a string of Irish point-to-point graduates due to line up on Leopardstown´s glittering card. Michael Hourigan´s charge - who cost only Ir#6,500 as a four-year-old at the 2000 Goffs Land Rover Sale - won a point-to-point at Clonmel on February 18, 2001, under Davy Russell and it has proved to be the perfect grounding for a fantastic career under Rules. 'He has earned nearly a million euros in prize money, won bumpers, hurdle races, he´s scored on the Flat at the Curragh - he should have won a November Handicap - and he´s won seven Grade 1s over fences,' said Hourigan, who is hoping that Sunday´s race might be the perfect warm up for next month´s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. 'He´s a much happier horse this year than last and to train a Gold Cup winner is everybody´s dream - I´ve had runners in eight recent runnings which is an achievement in its own, but I´ve yet to win it and perhaps this year may be different.' Meanwhile, the Ted Walsh-trained Southern Vic is likely to start a warm favourite in Sunday´s Grade 1 Dr P J Moriarty Novice Chase, in which his 10 rivals include fellow point-to-point graduates Sher Beau, Kill Devil Hill, Kerryhead Windfarm and Lordofourown. Southern Vic, who is trained by Walsh for Brenda Graham, most recently won a Naas novices´ chase by 12 lengths on February 28. 'Tom Costello had Southern Vic for the Grahams. They had him when he won a point-to-point and they sent him here,' said Walsh. 'He won a point-to-point in the spring as a five-year-old, and then he came to me the following autumn. I think you´re lucky if you fall across a good horse like him.' Noel Meade´s Mr Nosie, likely favourite for the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle, is yet another point-to-point graduate, having beaten Ballytrim in the Kildare point-to-point last March. The Willie Mullins-trained Ballytrim is now favourite for Cheltenham´s Weatherbys Champion Bumper following his 25-length success at Thurles on Thursday. Indeed never has the influence of Irish point-to-points been more strongly felt. Denman, favourite for the Royal & SunAlliance Novices´ Hurdle, leading Irish Independent Arkle Chase contender Missed That as well as more seasoned performers such as War Of Attrition are among a whole host of other star names flying the flag this season at the Cheltenham Festival for Irish point-to-points. Michael O´Hagan, General Manager of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, said today: 'Ireland´s point-to-points have long provided an outstanding grounding for future National Hunt stars with the likes of Best Mate, Cool Dawn, Florida Pearl, Looks Like Trouble and Monty´s Pass just a few graduates to have gone on to victory at the highest level under Rules and Leopardstown´s Sunday card features a galaxy of current stars headed by Beef Or Salmon.'
