With that Lexus win over today's course and distance under his belt, Beef Or Salmon is sure to be sent off a shortpriced favourite to add to his tally here and further enhance his prospects of landing the Cheltenham Gold Cup at the third time of asking.

Paul Carberry's mount is the current ante-post favourite for chasing's Blue riband, which is now just five short weeks away. And he will be expected to turn in a faultless performance here, to justify his position at the head of the betting market, and there is no reason why he should let his supporters down.

The line-up for the 180,000 feature . . . on a card with a guaranteed jackpot of 30,000 . . . has a vintage look about it, with two of the eight runners, Native Upmanship and Rince Ri, now aged 13, and the two youngest, Nil Desperandum and Prince Of Tara nine-year-olds. On paper it would seem that Beef Or Salmon . . . who won this race in 2003 and was runnerup to Rule Supreme last year . . . need only turn up to collect this handsome prize in the hands of Paul Carberry, who gets on so well with him.

Last season's Aintree Grand National hero Hedgehunter, who finished fourth beaten a total of 17 lengths in total in the Lexus Chase, represents the obvious danger to Beef Or Salmon. However, the Willie Mullins-trained gelding is being trained specifically with another crack at Aintree in mind, and takes in this race as part of his preparation.

Nevertheless, further improvement can be expected from David Casey's mount, and he should finish much closer to the selection today, particularly in light of the trainer's excellent record in the race. Mullins has won six of the last seven runnings of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, which is an achievement in itself, but Beef Or Salmon is another Leopardstown specialist, and today should be his day.

The supporting races on this eight race card, the Dr P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase in particular, are equally competitive. The field for this two mile five furlong event is led by Ted Walsh's impressive dual winner Southern Vic, who stays all day and jumps for fun.

On the mark at Naas last month, the seven-year-old relishes soft ground, and the extended trip of three miles.

The only worry here is the shorter trip, but it is significant that Southern Vic takes his chance here against the novices, rather than, as Walsh had previously suggested, be entered for the Hennessy, in the event of some of the big names falling by the wayside.

Paul Nolan's Drinmore Chase winner Kill Devil Hill is another one for the shortlist, together with Sher Beau from the Philip Fenton stable. Kill Devil Hill found the shorter distance of the Durkan New Homes Novice Chase against him at the Christmas meeting, and will be better suited by this afternoon's trip.

Sher Beau, an impressive scorer at Gowran Park recently, despite suffering a stone bruise on the eve of the race, goes on trial here for the Sun Alliance Chase at Cheltenham, so a bold showing will be expected. Our Ben, meanwhile, was third in last year's Sun Alliance Novices Hurdle, and has done nothing wrong in his two outings over fences to date. Nevertheless, Southern Vic holds most appeal.

The Willie Mullins-trained Mister Hight, the current ante-post favourite for the Triumph Hurdle, is sure to be a warm order for the opening Cashmans Juvenile Hurdle, but preference is for Marhaba Million, whose trainer Eric McNamara won this race last year with Strangely Brown.

The Linamix gelding recorded his latest success in a Grade 3 contest at Punchestown, and has since been acquired by J.P. McManus.