led from 2nd, jumped well, ridden and strongly pressed when left clear 2 out, stayed on well
held up in touch, 5th 4 out, driven along after 3 out, left moderate 4th 2 out, one pace
tracked leaders in 3rd, 2nd from 5th, close up from 3 out, challenging travelling best when fell heavily 2 out
tracked leaders in 4th, 3rd halfway, 4th and ridden 3 out, left moderate 3rd 2 out, soon no extra
led briefly 1st, dropped to rear halfway, weakened from 4 out, tailed off
held up in touch, progress into 3rd after 4 out, close up on outer after next, driven along approaching straight, no impression when left moderate 2nd from 2 out
Mr Cracker beat Warne over the C&D last month but was a big disappointment when odds-on at Cork a week later and will need to do much better than that. Salesin was in tremendous form in mid-summer and has been competing at Grade level recently. He's a good yardstick but was a very long way behind Head Of The Possee in a Grade 3 at Galway last time when SON OF OSCAR ran a superb race to get within two lengths of the classy winner. That should be good enough for this especially as he gets 5lb from the progressive Taking Stock, who jumped really well when making a winning start over fences at Listowel in September.
Mr Cracker (IRE) 8-11fav (11-10) Tracked leaders, 2nd halfway, pushed along and no impression in 3rd from 3 out, no extra after 2 out, eased when beaten run-in, 3rd of 7, 26l behind Back Of The Pack (11-7) at Cork 2m 4f nov chs gd in Oct.
Salesin 8-1 (11-1) Held up towards rear, left moderate 3rd 4 out, closer 2 out, ridden in 4th and no extra last, weakened entering straight, 3rd of 5, 29l behind Head Of The Posse (11-1) at Galway 2m 1f nov chs (1) gd in Oct.
Taking Stock (IRE) 5-2fav (11-12) Mid-division, 7th approaching halfway, progress 5 out, left 3rd next, driven along from 3 out, improved to challenge early straight, led last, kept on well closing stages, won at Listowel 2m 1f beg chs gd in Sep beating Mission Possible (11-12) by 2 1/2l, 15 ran.
Gusda (IRE) 20-1 (11-7) Mid-division early, towards rear before halfway, never a factor, 11th of 18, 37l behind Plaisir D'estruval (9-3) at Gowran Park 2m 4f hcp hdl 8Evens30 in Mar.
Remington Steel (IRE) 66-1 (11-12) Mid-division, bad mistake and unseated rider 5 out, in a race won by Scotsirish (11-12) at Leopardstown 2m 1f chs hvy in Jan '08, 21 ran.
Son Of Oscar (IRE) 9-1 (11-1) Held up towards rear, left moderate 4th 4 out, closer 2 out, 3rd last, improved in 2nd entering straight, ridden to press leader early straight, no extra inside final furlong, kept on same pace, 2nd of 5, 1 3/4l behind Head Of The Posse (11-1) at Galway 2m 1f nov chs (1) gd in Oct.
