Beef Or Salmon's record in Britain reads a dismal nought for six but the leading Irish chaser will be hoping to make it seventh time lucky at Haydock today when he takes on Britain's great white hope Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase.
The nearest Beef Or Salmon has come to winning away from Ireland was in this race last year when beaten into second by Kingscliff who is again in the field this time. However, it is Ruby Walsh's mount Kauto Star, winner last year of the Tingle Creek at two miles, who is likely to start favourite at his first attempt at three miles and present Beef Or Salmon with his biggest challenge.
Andrew McNamara had his first chase ride on the Michael Hourigan-trained star at Down Royal earlier in the month and the jockey is confident his horse is in better shape for this race than 12 months ago.
"He goes there fitter this time having had two races already," he said yesterday. "It was a great thrill the last day, especially with all the hype about War Of Attrition, which made it even sweeter. He seems to be in very good form."
The former dual-champion hurdler Hardy Eustace has a much better CV in Britain, with three wins from seven starts, and he will attempt to make it a clean 50 per cent record in today's Grade Two Coral Hurdle at Ascot.
Conor O'Dwyer will again team up with Dessie Hughes's horse whose opposition includes the impressive course winner Desert Quest and the Aintree winner Mighty Man.
Today's home feature is the four runner Grade Three Irish Field Novice Chase at Punchestown and two and a three quarter miles, plus testing conditions, looks ideal for the track winner Mattock Ranger who should improve significantly for his last start and gets 6lb from the Galway winner Vic Venturi.
The novice Some Legend is a significant runner in the handicap chase but Laureldean came into winning form at this time last year and ran a fine race on his return to the flat last month.
Timmy Murphy produced a riding masterclass at Ascot yesterday to deliver Harris Bay to his finest career success in the Allied Irish Bank (GB) Private Banking Handicap Chase. This new £50,000 race had attracted a useful field, not least 2 to 1 favourite Lou Du Moulin Mas, who attempted to make most of the running under Ruby Walsh but Harris Bay (8-1), who has been beset by breathing concerns through his career but has now won six of his last eight starts, crept into position and was coaxed home on the run-in to defeat his rival by a length and a half.
