Rule Supreme - stunned Beef Or Salmon (Getty Images)

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Beef Or Salmon suffered a shock reverse at Leopardstown today as Rule Supreme continued the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup domination of Willie Mullins.

Six of the past seven renewals of the Grade One showpiece have now gone to the County Carlow trainer, courtesy also of the much-loved Florida Pearl and Alexander Banquet.

But the real story was Ireland's leading Gold Cup candidate having his colours lowered.

Following his comprehensive defeat of Best Mate in the Lexus Chase at Christmas, Michael Hourigan's charge was sent off the 8-15 favourite to land his third big win of the campaign.

However, his dream run was brought to a crashing end after challenging Rule Supreme after the second-last and finding very little, finishing a disappointing second - 14 lengths adrift of the 11-2 victor.

"The winner is obviously very good and has stayed it out. He was bang there in the Lexus when he fell and we have been beaten fair and square," said Hourigan. "Paul (Carberry) said he felt beat going to the second-last."

Beef Or Salmon was tested by the stewards immediately after the race and was found to have a upper respiratory tract infection, offering some consolation for his supporters.

"It's a headache to us but at least we have some excuse - it's there and he just couldn't run with it," Hourigan added.

"He'll have a couple of days in the paddock to get rid of it and then we'll start again."

Carberry said: "He didn't give me the same feel that he did at Christmas. I was struggling three out and he didn't pick up. He gurgled turning for home."

Beef Or Salmon is now as big as 12-1 with Ladbrokes for the Gold Cup having been 6s before the race, while the impressive winner is 10-1 from 25s with the same firm - although Coral and totesport go just 8-1.

William Hill clipped Best Mate to 5-2 (from 3-1) with Rule Supreme 12-1 from 40s and Beef Or Salmon 8-1 from 11-2.

Rule Supreme had been contesting second place alongside Best Mate when he fell at the last in the Lexus and had managed to navigate Cheltenham track to land last year's Royal & SunAlliance Chase.

The nine-year-old has shown that his talent stretches further than chasing, scoring in last summer's French Champion Hurdle and finishing fast to take a close third in the Long Walk Hurdle at Windsor in December.

That versatility is likely to cause a headache for Mullins, who has long had the Ladbrokes World Hurdle as Rule Supreme's main target.

"I've always said that if you have a horse with half a chance of winning the Gold Cup to go for it," said Mullins. "He'll love the extra trip and has won on the track but we'll have to have a long talk about it.

"I'll leave him in both races and make my mind up nearer the time. The ground doesn't make a difference to him but I'd probably say he jumps better on good ground."

Reflecting on today's win, Mullins added: "David knows him inside out and we discussed all the runners and the possible tactics before the race.

"He made one little mistake early on but jumped very well today and has got a tremendous engine."

Rule Supreme's victory proved to be a dream comeback for Casey as he only returned to action at Clonmel last week after breaking a leg three months ago, and rode his first winner back in the opening race on the card.

"It is great to win the Hennessy and it was nice to get back and ride a few horses before today," he said.

"He jumped pretty well apart from one mistake down the back early on, which I blame myself for.

"He travelled so well and I laid it down to Beef Or Salmon at the second-last to try and see if he would get home."

The sole British challenger, Murphy's Cardinal, took up the running down the back straight but was a spent force on the turn for home and finished a leg-weary fifth for Noel Chance.

Piazarro, meanwhile, made several mistakes before crashing out at the fifth-last, hampering Beef Or Salmon in the process although he recovered sufficiently to have had little bearing on the result.