Leopardstown Preview: In a Cheltenham Gold Cup market dominated by Best Mate, bookmakers will be looking to slash some odds after tomorrow's Hennessy Gold Cup and Colonel Braxton could be the excuse for the blades to be sharpened.

The Dessie Hughes-trained horse is currently a 20 to 1 shot for the Gold Cup and has been overshadowed in the festival build-up by the rising young star Beef Or Salmon.

The latter is widely expected to extend his unbeaten record over fences and copper-fasten claims to being the main danger to Best Mate. But it may not be as straight-forward tomorrow as many think.

Colonel Braxton has it all to do on the book to reverse Ericsson form with Beef Or Salmon who beat him by six lengths with Harbour Pilot just a short head back in third.

A 5lb swing is hardly enough in theory to turn around six lengths, and, on the face of it, Colonel Braxton will have his hands full confirming places with Harbour Pilot. However, that Ericsson run came on the back of a very disappointing first effort of the season over hurdles and since then Colonel Braxton has scored over an inadequate two-mile trip at Fairyhouse.

He jumped violently to the left on occasions in that race but that shouldn't be a problem on this track and his preparation for tomorrow looks ideal.

"He is in first-class shape and the race the last day has helped sharpen him up. I would say he has improved since the Ericsson and he will be fitter this time. It just depends how much Beef Or Salmon has improved," Hughes said.

Harbour Pilot has a good chance, too, on the same terms but wears blinkers for the first time in an effort to speed up his jumping.

"Hopefully they will sharpen him at some of the fences and the softer the ground the better," trainer Noel Meade said.

Considering he has three victories in the race to his credit it is odd to call Florida Pearl the unknown quantity of the race but off an interrupted preparation he could bring anything to the party.

At his best he is a danger to all and on the ratings he comes out on top. However, the prospect of soft ground is not ideal at this stage of his career.

Just six line up for the Deloitte and Touche but the clash of Solerina and Hardy Eustace, Ireland's two principal SunAlliance hopes, will be intriguing.

Hardy Eustace is a proven Grade One winner but his trainer Dessie Hughes admitted yesterday: "It will be very tough. The mare looks exceptional but the way the race is run will suit our fellow."

Solerina's tactics will be to try to dominate from the front and like her stable-companion, Limestone Lad, they have proved almost impossible to counter this season.

In contrast Le Coudray looks to have a relatively straight-forward task in attempting three top-flight victories in a row in the Dr PJ Moriarty Chase. On form he holds everything in the race and the possible dark horse, Ten Poundsworth, was winning the hunter chase around here last year.

Golden Cross is on a retrieval mission in the Cashmans Juvenile Hurdle having missed out in the Denny Hurdle because of swallowing a sod of earth in mid-race.

He looked one of the country's main Triumph hopes when scoring before that at Fairyhouse and those Cheltenham dreams can be rekindled tomorrow.

Dorans Pride will be the sentimental choice in the hunters chase and two point to point wins this winter mean he will be no back number. However, Sheltering could be the safer option.

Trainer Dessie Hughes and jockey Kieran Kelly after Colonel Braxton won at Fairyhouse.