Beef lands another Hennessy Beef Or Salmon continued his love affair with Leopardstown by recording a fifth Grade 1 win over the course and distance in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.Paul Carberry had his only anxious moment when the 2/5 favourite took off too early at the fifth last but survived that scare and eased past the front-running Hedgehunter before the last to win by a cosy 12 lengths.Michael Hourigan?s charge remains generally a 5/1 joint favourite with Monkerhostin for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, although Cashmans and Paddy Power both cut him to 4/1.?Paul said he was jumping nearly too good today and just took a chance at that fence. He felt he was a better horse today than here in the Lexus at Christmas,? said Hourigan.He added, ?He?s never been as healthy and well in himself since we took him to Cheltenham the first time and he had that bad fall.?Carberry was completing a Grade 1 double on the day as Mr Nosie earlier maintained his unbeaten record with a workmanlike three lengths victory over Royaldou in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle.Glenfinn Captain unseated Tony McCoy when blundering at the fourth, and the Tom Taaffe-trained gelding later hampered Mossbank, and to a lesser extent the winner, when falling while running loose four out.?He worked very well during the week which is not like him as he?s normally lazy. He idled after getting to the front and will go for the ?SunAlliance??, said Noel Meade, who also has Nicanor for that event.The Railway Man upset some big reputations when coming off a strong pace in the hands of Davy Russell to take the Dr P J Moriarty Novice Chase.Father Matt and Southern Vic had the field well stretched down the back straight but the writing was on the wall as The Railway Man loomed up at the second last.Russell waited until after the last before asking for an effort, and Arthur Moore?s charge found enough to hold on by 1 1/2L from Father Matt with Our Ben staying on best of all just a neck away in third.?I was hoping for a place and winning is a real bonus. Davy gave him as good a ride as any horse he?s ridden,? said a delighted Moore afterwards.He added, ?I would not rule out the Arkle but think it could be a bit sharp and the Power Gold Cup at Fairyhouse is an obvious race for him.?Our Ben was the main ante-post mover being cut to as low as 5/1 (from 8?s) with Paddy Power for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase.Mister Hight is generally unchanged at 5/1 favourite for the Triumph Hurdle after justifying odds of 4/9 under David Casey in the Cashmans Juvenile Hurdle.The Willie Mullins-trained gelding was soon in front after a slight mistake at the last, and drew clear to beat Breathing Fire by four and a half lengths.?I was quite pleased with the way he did everything and I think he will have learned a fair bit today. He likes it softer and with all the dry weather in England it?s going to be a worry but he?ll run,? said Mullins.
