LEOPARDSTOWN is a real home from home for Michael Hourigan's great stalwart Beef Or Salmon who staged a magnificent comeback against the odds to catch odds-on favourite The Listener on the run-in to win his third Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup in the hands of Andrew McNamara.

The 11-year-old who ran with blinkers for the first time was registering his 10th Grade 1 victory and received a hero's welcome on his return to the parade ring after what turned into a thriller of a race. Beef Or Salmon denied The Listener by three parts of a length, with his stable-mate Hi Cloy not disgraced in finishing third of the five runners.

Beef Or Salmon seems to reserve his best performances for Leopardstown and McNamara commented:

"He knew jumping the second last where he was and I knew he'd get home, even though we had eight or 10 lengths to make up turning in. I didn't think he was going to get there at that stage but I knew he'd stay going. He just loves winning, and he loves Leopardstown. He seems to be a bit of a hero here."

In contrast, when it comes to Cheltenham, Beef Or Salmon has been distinctly out of luck in the Gold Cup but Hourigan is determined to let him have another crack at it. McNamara's mount has been cut from 50/1 to 25/1 with Cashmans, with Kauto Star the 6/4 favourite ahead of War Of Attrition. The Listener is now 14/1.

Arran Concerto, the horse Noel Meade has suggested could be the best he has ever trained, comfortably landed the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle by three lengths from his stable-companion and long time leader Leading Run.

Partnered by Paul Carberry, for whom it was a successful return to action after being sidelined with a knee injury, the six-year-old lost his main danger when Catch Me blundered badly and unseated Barry Geraghty at the penultimate flight.

Arran Concerto holds an entry in both novice hurdles at Cheltenham and Meade said "All along I've been favouring the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle, but I'll have a long chat with Paul now before we decide.

He's a real chaser in the making, but has great balance for a horse of over 17hh and he's able to do everything at his leisure."

The trainer admitted "I didn't sleep a lot last night, but when you've got slow ones you don't sleep an awful lot either!"

Arran Concerto remains the ante-post favourite for the Ballymore Properties Novices Hurdle, a race Meade won last year with Nicanor.

Davy Fitzgerald's Co. Limerick raider Mister Top Notch sprang a 14/1 surprise under Conor O'Dwyer in the Dr P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase to give his trainer his biggest success to date by seven lengths from Vic Venturi. The gelding hasn't been entered for any race at Cheltenham, with Fitzgerald explaining "We'll be happy enough to go to Aintree or Punchestown instead."

Island Life was sent off the 8/11 favourite to initiate a double for Noel Meade and Paul Carberry in the opening Cashmans Juvenile Hurdle, but he faded into third place behind the John Murphytrained winner Convincing, the mount of Eddie Power who later picked up a seven day suspension for improper use of the whip. A drifter in the betting from 8/1 out to 11/1, it was the neck winner from Financial Reward.

Cashmans introduced Convincing into their betting for the Triumph Hurdle at odds of 33/1 .

Jockey Philip Carberry, the brother of Arran Concerto's rider, caused an 8/1 upset with Farmer Brown in the T.C. Matthews Carpets Handicap Hurdle at the expense of favourite Well Mounted.