RACING: Beef Or Salmon is on track to try to boost his Gold Cup claims at Punchestown on Sunday and his chances look better now that Keen Leader is unlikely to travel from Britain.
The Jonjo O'Neill-trained Keen Leader, a 16 to 1 shot with Paddy Power for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, was one of 11 left in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at yesterday's forfeit stage.
However, it is the Martin Pipe- trained Tiutchev who looks like being the sole cross-channel challenger for the Grade One event.
A spokesman for O'Neill said yesterday: "The horse has been entered at Chepstow on Saturday and while I wouldn't rule him out of Punchestown just yet, it would be easier to give him his first run of the season over here. It's raining cats and dogs over here too which will help him.
"Keen Leader is also in at Haydock a week on Saturday in the Tommy Whittle but we will make a final decision later in the week."
That Tommy Whittle option has also attracted Truckers Tavern with Ferdy Murphy opting for that race for the Gold Cup runner-up rather than the Durkan.
"I was delighted with the way he ran over hurdles on Saturday and he will be bang on for the race at Haydock," Murphy said.
Michael Hourigan, however, has committed Beef Or Salmon, as low as 8 to 1 for the Gold Cup despite finishing only third at Clonmel last month, to the two and a half mile Punchestown race.
"He has been grand since Clonmel and I would imagine he has come on a good bit for the race. He couldn't but, and there will be no problems with the ground," he said yesterday.
The going at Punchestown was officially "soft" yesterday afternoon with the prospect of a dry week ahead. "We're expecting a shower or two tomorrow but after that it is supposed to be dry and good," said the director of racing, Richie Galway.
That will encourage the connections of the Durkan specialist Native Upmanship who is set to try to make it a hat-trick of victories in the race.
Native Upmanship won it easily last year and edged out Florida Pearl in a memorable finish in 2000. In between he just failed to Florida Pearl in another titanic struggle.
"Native Upmanship is pretty versatile track-wise but two and a half does seem to be his perfect trip. He has a good record in the Durkan and I hope he can keep it up," said Arthur Moore yesterday.
"I would prefer he had a race under his belt this season but he is as forward as I can get him under the circumstances," he added.
As well as Native Upmanship it will be a first start of the season for Le Coudray, winner of last year's Drinmore Chase, who hasn't run since Cheltenham last March.
BETTING: (Paddy Power): 6-5 Beef Or Salmon, 100-30 Native Upmanship, 4 Tiutchev, 6 Keen Leader, 10 Rince Ri, 12 Le Coudray, 20 Bar.
Davenport Milenium, who ran fourth to Solerina at the weekend, is set to take on Rooster Booster in Saturday week's Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Willie Mullins said: "He seems grand. I would've thought he would have had to run as well as that on Sunday. The Bula is on the agenda for the time being and that's the plan for the moment. I just hope he is okay over the next few days."
