Listener Unscathed After Gold Run

The Listener has been given a clean bill of health on his return from Ireland.

Robert Alner's grey finished a gallant second behind Beef Or Salmon in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday, having looked set to score until tiring late on.

Alner says the race did not take too much out of him, however, and connections will now prepare him for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 16.

'He got back last night and ate up and he's absolutely none the worse for his efforts,' he said.

'The only time he was under pressure was after the last and he had everything his own way up to the last as well so it wasn't as gruelling as it could have been.

'It was agony waiting to see whether we would be caught or not but we were and that's that.

'I was totally happy with how he ran and how he was ridden but the blinkers on Beef Or Salmon had sharpened him up and he jumped much better in that race than he did the race before.

'The race was four seconds faster this time (than the Lexus Chase) and obviously one would have loved to win ? but I'm not destroyed as the horse is fine and there are other days.

'It was only his eighth chase and Beef Or Salmon has had plenty of experience and is a course specialist on his home ground.

'There were a lot of plusses and we were miles clear of everyone else.'

(C) PA Sport