Beef Or Salmon can turn today's Grade One James Nicholson Champion Chase into something of a homecoming victory parade and rejuvenate his Gold Cup claims into the bargain.

The Michael Hourigan-trained star remains as low as 8 to 1 second favourite for Cheltenham despite a seasonal debut at Limerick that failed to conjure any images of a possible threat to Best Mate's crown.

Although there was an understandable rustiness and the handicap of topweight, Beef Or Salmon was still comprehensively beaten by Colca Canyon, coming home in fifth place.

Hourigan dismissed any long-term significance from that race and delivered an upbeat report yesterday on Beef Or Salmon's readiness for a task that has the feel of his real seasonal kick-off.

It's an appropriate one too with the horse's owners, Joe Craig from Castlederg, Co Tyrone and Dan McLernon from Ballymena, Co Antrim, welcoming Beef Or Salmon on his most northern venture yet.

A career total of 25 starts has yielded 12 wins but Leopardstown is the furthest north he has been to date. Certainly there will be a sense of anti-climax if Beef Or Salmon cannot cope with this opposition on level terms.

Harbour Pilot should find the testing ground conditions to his liking but he hasn't run this season and has 5lb to find on official ratings with the Hourigan runner anyway.

Kicking King has a full 18lb to find on the figures but there is no doubt he is the unknown quantity of the race and comes here on the back of a more than encouraging success at Gowran.

Tom Taaffe is confident that the three-mile trip will not be a problem with last season's Arkle runner-up, but conditions are testing at Down Royal and stamina will be at a premium.

Last year's winner, Splendour, comes back for another crack at the Grade Three Killultagh Chase but even with topweight Central House should prove a tough nut to crack.

The Leopardstown Arkle winner had a perfectly acceptable warm-up on the flat behind Rosaker at Galway and that outing should have left him spot-on for this.

Noel Meade's main focus will be on Harbour Pilot but Augherskea's bumper form gives him a clear shout in the opening maiden hurdle.

Meade introduces the newcomer Naples in the bumper but on this ground experience will count for a lot and Haggle Twins already has a good run behind Publican at Galway under his belt.