Review LEOPARDSTOWN 9TH FEB

Beef Or Salmon cemented his position as the main danger to Best Mate's Gold Cup crown by landing the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup in front of a bumper crowd.

The Grade 1 event proved a near carbon copy of the Ericsson Chase here at the Christmas meeting, with Timmy Murphy again biding his time on the Michael Hourigan-trained gelding.

Florida Pearl dropped away tamely before the second last (respiratory infection), while the remaining 4 runners were virtually in a line at the last.

Beef Or Salmon jumped to the front at the final fence and again showed a fine turn of foot on the run-in to pull 4L clear of Colonel Braxton, with Harbour Pilot a neck back in third.

Bookmaker reaction saw a wholesale cut in price for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup, with Paddy Power going a best-priced 5/1.

Racegoers were denied a tremendous finish to the Dr P J Moriarty Novice Chase when Le Coudray fell heavily while upsides Barrow Drive at the final fence.

The odds-on favourite had jumped impeccably throughout, and opinions differed afterwards as to what the outcome might have been.

'Jim (Culloty) thought he was just getting the better of Le Coudray, but I must say I was not so sure,' said winning trainer Tony Mullins following his first Grade 1 jumping success.

'I have absolutely no worries about the 3m1f distance of the Royal & SunAlliance Chase (33/1 with Grahams). Stamina is this horse's forte, and he goes straight to Cheltenham' said Mullins.

Solerina will accompany stablemate Limestone Lad to the Cotswolds after extending her winning sequence to six in the Deloitte And Touche Novice Hurdle.

James Bowe's mare adopted her customary front-running tactics, and stayed on well under Paul Carberry to beat Hardy Eustace (Kieren Kelly 2 day ban for using whip with excessive frequency) by 2L.

'There is a possible race for her at Naas on February 23, and then the Royal & SunAlliance at Cheltenham. She gets on so well with Limestone Lad, so hopefully it will help him to settle in over there,' said John Bowe.

Race sponsors Cashmans gave a dismissive quote of 33/1 about any named Irish trained runner in the Triumph Hurdle after Mutineer gamely held off Golden Cross by a head in the juvenile hurdle.

However the form of this race has a solid look with the remainder well strung out behind, and Grahams cut Mutineer to 14/1 (from 25's).

'He stays really well but will only go for the Triumph if there is some cut in the ground,' said trainer Dessie Hughes.

Sheltering booked his place in the line-up for the Christie's Foxhunter Chase when making all under Gordon Elliott for a convincing 10L victory over Dorans Pride.

Dizzy's Dream (7/1-12/1) led off the home turn to beat fellow newcomer Farranfore by 8L in the bumper, where Davenport Democrat (6/4f) weakened quickly 1/2m out.

Alan Magee