The Peter Beaumont-trained eight-year-old reappeared in the Peterhouse Group Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in early November when he failed to by two lengths to give 5lb to the very smart performer Marlborough.

The winner has since gone on to finish an excellent second, beaten one and a half lengths by the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Best Mate, which makes Hussard Collonges’ Wetherby effort even more meritorious.

On his next start Beaumont’s gelding finished a five and a half length fifth behind Be My Royal in Newbury’s Hennessy where he raced up with the pace, jumping well only for his weight of 11st 4lb to take its toll on the run-in.

That encouraged connections to consider Hussard Collonges a possible Cheltenham Gold Cup contender.

He missed an intended engagement over Christmas when the weather intervened but was back in action in the Bet Direct Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock Park last Saturday when he arguably put up a personal best to chase home the highly-regarded Truckers Tavern.

Hussard Collonges failed by two and a half lengths to give 15lb to Ferdy Murphy’s runner, who is himself considered a live outsider for chasing’s blue riband event.

He ran a blinder under top weight, showing his trademark toughness to slug it out with the winner in the closing stages and pulling clear of the rest – a top-class effort.

After the race Beaumont commented: “The timing of the Irish Hennessy on February 9 would work well. It comes three weeks after the Peter Marsh and gives us four weeks before Cheltenham.

“If we don’t run in Ireland we have a long wait for the Gold Cup.

“He ran a cracking race giving so much weight to a horse as good as Truckers Tavern and, when we get him and the rest at level weights, it will be more to our advantage.”

Beaumont is no stranger to success in the Irish Hennessy having won the prestigious contest three times on the bounce between 1993 and 1995 with Jodami

Jodami won the Haydock race in 1993 before going on to take that season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup via Leopardstown and the Brandsby trainer is plotting a similar route for his new star.

He said: “When we won this race with Jodami, some said we would leave the Gold Cup behind if we went to Ireland before but we didn’t did we?”

Hussard Collonges is clearly a high-class chaser who will take all the beating at level weights in the Irish Hennessy.

A success at Leopardstown would see the 10-1 currently available for the Gold Cup disappear.

However, the locals will not allow Hussard Collonges to plunder their valuable contest without putting up a staunch defence.

Beef Or Salmon, currently the 7-1 second favourite for the Cheltenham showpiece, is a smart novice who is unbeaten in his three starts over fences to date.

Last time out Michael Hourigan’s strongly-built gelding made a spectacular debut at the highest level when running away with the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Launched into the big league over fences the seven-year-old left his older rivals trailing after the final fence to earn his high ranking in the Gold Cup market.

Patiently ridden by Timmy Murphy who had won over two miles on the horse at Cork earlier in the month, the 5-1 shot looked a different proposition over the three miles this time as he bounded over the final fence and romped six lengths clear of Colonel Braxton, who had attempted to make all the running in the 150,000 euro contest.

“He was very good, never missing a fence for a novice, and really quickened up when I gave him a slap after the last,” said Murphy.

Limerick-based trainer Hourigan had his faith in the horse fully vindicated though he admitted beforehand he wondered whether he was over-facing the horse after just two previous starts over fences.

“My horse jumped brilliantly and Timmy settled him beautifully off the pace. The plan was to stalk them until the straight and Beef Or Salmon was spring-heeled over the last,” he enthused.

“This horse has been special since I broke him and he won his first point-to-point in Clonmel by two fences so I knew his future was going to be as a chaser.

“Dorans Pride was a special horse for us, winning 30-odd races but this horse jumps better and that helps him produce his finishing speed.”

Hourigan added: “There haven’t been any headaches since the Ericsson and although the ground over here is bad enough at the moment it doesn’t bother him at all.

“He’s fine and I’m looking forward to running him again.”

Beef Or Salmon could well renew rivalry in the Hennessy promotion with both the runner-up Colonel Braxton, who has won since, and Harbour Pilot, who was just a short head back in third.

But the Irish Hennessy looks a straight fight between Hussard Collonges and Beef Or Salmon to emphasise the arrival of the new order of chasers.

And Hussard Collonges can gain the day and provide Beaumont with his fourth win in the race.