towards rear, appeared held from 3 out until good headway straight, 3rd before last where left 2nd, soon led and stayed on best to assert
held up, slightly slow 2nd, slight mistake 3rd, moderate 6th at 7th, progress 5 out, bad mistake 3 out, 5th into straight, no impression and left 4th from last, kept on same pace
held up, moderate 7th at 7th, progress from before 10th, 6th into straight, soon no extra and eased, pulled up before last
prominent, soon chased leader in 2nd, reminder after 4 out, not fluent 2 out, 3rd into straight, one pace approaching last
towards rear, pushed along and some headway from 3 out, slight mistake 2 out, one pace into straight
prominent, soon led and clear, inclined to jump slightly right, reduced lead from 8th, bad mistake 10th, soon joined briefly, pressed again and bad mistake 2 out, soon headed, dropped to 7th into straight, weakened and eased run-in
led early, not fluent 2nd, chased leader in 3rd, tended to jump slightly left and not always fluent, on terms briefly from 10th, pushed along from 3 out, led from next, headed before last, left in lead briefly, soon headed and one pace
held up, moderate 8th at 7th, reminders 8th, under pressure from 3 out, no impression straight, mistake last, no extra
soon chased leaders, moderate 4th at 7th, closed up 3 out, travelling smoothly from next, led before last where pecked badly and unseated rider
soon chased leaders, mistake 3rd, moderate 5th at 7th, slight mistake 9th, pushed along from 3 out, slightly impeded 2 out, 4th into straight, soon no impression, one pace
Carlingford Lough won this last year narrowly from Foxrock with On His Own, who started favourite, and First Lieutenant behind. The winner has hardly picked his feet up subsequently and though John Kiely will have him ready it's the runner-up who should come out best of the quartet this time as he ran an excellent race behind Don Poli and First Lieutenant in the Lexus. Sir Des Champs won this in 2013 but missed all of the following year before beating Rubi Light on his return to action at Thurles in November. He made far too many mistakes in the Lexus and was beaten a long way so will need to do much better. Gilgamboa ran a cracking race under a big weight in the Paddy Power but ROAD TO RICHES (NAP) will be very difficult to beat after his impressive return to action in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil as he had subsequent winners Bright New Dawn and Felix Yonger trailing in his wake along with First Lieutenant.
Carlingford Lough (IRE) 9-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, 6th halfway, pushed along and no impression after 4 out, no threat from 2 out, last of 6, 34 1/4l behind Don Poli (11-10) at Leopardstown 3m (1) hvy in Dec.
Fine Rightly (IRE) 9-2fav (11-4) Tracked leaders, 6th halfway, pushed along in 5th entering straight and 4th before last, no impression run-in, kept on one pace, 4th of 11, 6l behind Empire Of Dirt (10-4) at Leopardstown 2m 5f hcp sft in Jan.
First Lieutenant (IRE) 16-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, 4th halfway, some progress 3 out, pushed along and no impression approaching last, under pressure and kept on well run-in, not reach winner, 2nd of 6, 1/2l behind Don Poli (11-10) at Leopardstown 3m (1) hvy in Dec.
Foxrock (IRE) 10-1 (11-10) Tracked leader in 2nd, disputed 7th, headed 9th, slight mistake 4 out, ridden entering straight and challenged before last, under pressure and kept on one pace run-in, short of room and dropped to 3rd closing stages, 3rd of 6, 1l behind Don Poli (11-10) at Leopardstown 3m (1) hvy in Dec.
Gilgamboa (IRE) 4-1fav (11-10) Mid-division early, closer in 8th halfway, 3rd 3 out, ridden 2 out, disputed entering straight, headed last, under pressure in 3rd closing stages of run-in, lost 3rd close home, 4th of 28, 5 1/4l behind Minella Foru (10-8) at Leopardstown 3m hvy in Dec.
On His Own (IRE) 25-1 (11-10) Led, jumped slightly right, joined 7th, led again from 9th, ridden and headed before last, under pressure and no impression run-in, kept on one pace, 4th of 6, 3 1/4l behind Don Poli (11-10) at Leopardstown 3m (1) hvy in Dec.
Road To Riches (IRE) 8-13fav (11-12) Made all, slow 1st, 3 lengths lead halfway, pushed along to assert after last, stayed on well, won at Clonmel 2m 4f (1) Soft - Heavy in Nov beating Bright New Dawn (11-5) by 6l, 5 ran.
Sir Des Champs (FR) 10-3 (11-10) Chased leaders, 5th halfway, slight mistake 12th, pushed along and no impression 3 out, no extra in straight, 5th of 6, 21 1/4l behind Don Poli (11-10) at Leopardstown 3m (1) hvy in Dec.
Valseur Lido (FR) 25-1 (11-10) Close up, lost place 11th, weakened 4 out, fell last, at Kempton 3m (1) gs in Dec.
Wounded Warrior (IRE) 10-1 (11-8) Tracked leader, 3rd at 8th, mistake 10th and dropped to rear, ridden entering straight, no impression on winner in 3rd before last, kept on one pace run-in, 2nd of 4, 9 1/2l behind Don Cossack (11-10) at Thurles 2m 4f (1) sft in Jan.
