led, joined 6f out, ridden in 2nd inside final furlong, no impression on winner and kept on same pace
chased leader in 2nd, improved to dispute from 6f out, headed and no extra inside final furlong
chased leaders, no impression and kept on same pace inside final furlong
mid-division, no impression from over 1f out
chased leaders, led and stretched clear inside final furlong, easily
mid-division, no impression and kept on same pace inside final furlong
Arctic Light carries a penalty for his opening victory here last month and the placed horses have been beaten subsequently. Carrigready made a very encouraging debut at Clonmel in September but didn't run up to anywhere near that form at Thurles earlier this month. SAMCRO started odds-on for a Monksgrange point-to-point in April and duly obliged, though connections could hardly have dreamed about getting £335,000 at the Grand National Sales at Aintree. He'll need to start recouping sooner rather than later starting here. Natgould is by Teofilo out of a 7f winner so should have more pace than these rivals.
Arctic Light 9-1 (11-10) Tracked leader, 2nd halfway, ridden to lead under 2f out, under pressure and kept on well inside final furlong, won at Punchestown 2m gd in Oct beating Westland Row (11-10) by 1 3/4l, 5 ran.
Carrigready (IRE) 5-2cfav (11-11) Settled behind leaders, ran freely early, 5th halfway, 7th 6f out, ridden and no impression 3f out, stayed on into moderate 4th over 1f out, kept on one pace, 4th of 9, 17 1/4l behind Hardline (11-11) at Thurles 2m gd in Nov.
Loupgarou (FR) 11-1 (11-7) Rear, 8th halfway, progress to 7th over 3f out, good progress to 2nd 2f out, ridden 1 1/2f out, dropped to 4th 1f out, kept on final furlong to 3rd close home, not trouble leaders, 3rd of 9, 5 3/4l behind Brelade (11-7) at Naas 2m Good - Yielding in Nov.
Natgould (IRE) Teofilo gelding out of Fly Free.
Samcro (IRE) 2-5 (11-10) Chsd ldrs, 3rd 1/2way, prog to disp 2out, in command lst where slw, rdn clr & in command line, cosily, won at Monksgrange 3m mdn hvy in Apr beating Elegant Escape (11-10) by 1l, 7 ran.
Victory Lane (IRE) 33-1 (11-7) In rear, 9th halfway, 8th 3f out, no impression on leaders over 2f out, kept on one pace in 6th over 1f out, 6th of 9, 23 1/4l behind Brelade (11-7) at Naas 2m Good - Yielding in Nov.
Highly Driven 6-1 (11-0) Prominent, challenged straight, one pace 1f out, 7th of 11, 6 1/4l behind Dan Mcgrue (11-7) at Roscommon 2m Yielding in Aug.
