'He's the kingpin out in the field and he's an absolute lion'

If horses could talk, surely the conversations held in this field on a hill near the outskirts of Kildare town would be the stuff of pure theatre.

In a windswept pasture at the Irish National Stud stand a quintet of thoroughbred titans who together amassed 46 Group or Grade 1 wins and more than €6.3 million in prize-money. However impressive the statistics make for reading purposes, the true worth of these heroes of yesteryear is on an emotional level, having captured the racing public's imagination through their moments of excellence on the track.

One of them is a racing legend who had the Irish besotted and the British bewildered. With Sunday's Irish action featuring the John Durkan Memorial Chase and the Hilly Way Chase, this is an occasion on which to remember Beef Or Salmon, whose many feats include being the only horse to win both races.