chased leader, not fluent 4th and reminder, 6th 5 out, soon pushed along and no extra after next, weakened, well behind and pulled up approaching straight
led, clear from 2nd and 6 lengths lead halfway, pushed along and headed before 2 out, ridden and rallied to lead last, kept on well and drew clear closing stages
towards rear, detached after 8th, pushed along and no impression 4 out, weakened, kept on one pace in straight, tailed off
chased leader, slight mistake 6th, 4th halfway, 3rd 3 out, pushed along and no impression before 2 out, no extra and eased run-in
chased leader, 2nd halfway, slight mistake 8th, 4th and slight mistake 3 out, pushed along and no extra early straight, eased, tailed off
towards rear, 6th halfway, moderate 5th 5 out, slight mistake next and no extra 3 out, weakened, tailed off
chased leader, pushed along before 4th and reminder before 6th, 5th halfway, 6th and ridden after 9th, no extra from 4 out, weakened, tailed off
chased leader, 3rd halfway, went 2nd after 9th, closer approaching straight and led before 2 out, pushed along and headed last, no extra run-in
Scarpeta won this in 2018 when trained by Willie Mullins but has been chasing. The champion trainer runs Burrows Saint here and he's probably on the long road back to Aintree where he finished fourth in this year's Grand National. Well beaten in heavy ground when odds-on for this a year ago, he should be much sharper this time and conditions should be more to his liking. Western Victory has a very good strike-rate though her recent victory at Gowran came over the minimum trip while PENCILFULLOFLEAD reappears after an absence since January. Gordon Elliott's charge, a winning bumper and hurdler, looked a cracking recruit to fences last season, however, scoring at Galway before landing a Punchestown Grade 2 and beaten narrowly in a Limerick Grade 1. He has the class to get back on the winning trail over the smaller obstacles.
Whirling Dervish 16-1 (10-6) Disputed lead, headed 5f out, 3rd 4f out, ridden in 5th over 2f out, no impression, 4th of 13, 13 3/4l behind Dutch Schultz (9-7) at Gowran Park 1m 6f hcp Soft - Heavy in Oct.
Western Victory (IRE) 11-2 (11-5) Soon led and went on, reduced lead from before 3 out, strongly pressed approaching straight, soon headed, 3rd and kept on without matching front pair run-in, 3rd of 8, 1 3/4l behind Dysart Diamond (11-1) at Punchestown 2m 2f lst (1) Good - Yielding in Nov.
Bothar Dubh 14-1 (11-1) Rear of mid-division well off pace, no impression after 3 out and moderate 7th before next, kept on one pace, never a factor, 5th of 9, 32 3/4l behind Pour Pavore (9-12) at Clonmel 2m 4f hcp Soft - Heavy in Nov.
Burrows Saint (FR) 9-1 (10-13) Prominent, 2nd at the 22nd (bechers 2nd time), every chance before 2 out, hung right after last, 4th and weakening before elbow, 4th of 40, 27 1/4l behind Minella Times (10-3) at Aintree 4m 2f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Morosini (FR) 20-1 (11-6) Chased leader, 8th after 6th, lost place after 7th, weakened and pulled up 4 out, at Naas 2m 4f hcp Yielding in Nov.
Rebellito (FR) 10-1 (9-4) Chased leaders, ridden 3f out, weakened, 18th of 20, 11 1/2l behind Powerful Aggie (8-9) at Leopardstown 1m 4f hcp gd in Oct.
Scarpeta (FR) 250-1 (12-0) Rear of mid-division, 11th after 6th, under pressure and weakened 3 out, 12th of 18, dist behind Bob Olinger (12-0) at Gowran Park 2m 4f sft in Nov.
Minx Tiara (IRE) 8-1 (11-4) Led, increased advantage at 2nd, clear at 3rd, reduced lead at 5th, strongly pressed 2 out where jumped left and bumped rival, headed at last, weakened final 150 yards, 4th of 18, 10 3/4l behind Aldo The Apache (10-5) at Naas 2m 4f hcp Yielding in Nov.
Pencilfulloflead (IRE) 5-2fav (11-10) Chased leaders, not fluent 4th, 3rd after 8th, pushed along in 2nd before straight, no extra from before 2 out where slight mistake, one pace, 3rd of 8, 8 1/4l behind Eklat De Rire (11-2) at Naas 3m 1f (1) hvy in Jan.
