Beef Or Salmon is taking more time than expected to recover from an overreach picked up when winning at Down Royal earlier this month.
The eight-year-old staying chaser defeated Kicking King by three lengths and a half lengths in the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase, but has been on the easy list since that impressive victory.
"We are a little afraid of infection down the outside of his foot as there is a little movement there, but after another week or so (of work) on the beach all should clear up hopefully," trainer Michael Hourigan told the Racing Post.
The O'Connell Transport Hilly Way Chase over two miles at Cork, a race he has won for the last two seasons, was mentioned as Beef Or Salmon's most likely target, but Hourigan is keeping his options open.
"He has won the race at Cork (December 12th) a few times before but I'm also going to put him in the John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown which takes place on the previous Sunday. He will run in one of those races I'd say."
Beef Or Salmon is a general 10-1 chance to dethrone Best Mate in the Gold Cup next March.