waited with towards rear, headway to chase leaders 3 out, no impression under pressure from next, kept on into moderate 3rd closing stages
prominent, 2nd for much, no impression from 2 out, kept on same pace from before last
waited with towards rear, headway approaching straight, soon chased leaders, no impression from 2 out, moderate 2nd and kept on without troubling easy winner from last
chased leaders, closer order from before 5 out, soon 3rd, challenged and led after 2 out, clear approaching last, stayed on strongly, easily
chased leaders, reminders 4th, 7th approaching straight, no impression and kept on same pace from 3 out
prominent, pushed along 4th, under pressure approaching straight, dropped out and no extra 2 out
chased leaders, under pressure in 5th approaching straight, weakened 2 out, lame behind
attempted to make all, headed after 2 out, dropped to 3rd and no extra from after last
On to the chase course and a cracking Grade 3 novices' event which should provide plenty of pointers for the future. Cootamundra had some very strong form at a higher level last season but will do better when getting some rain. Darwins Fox was having his sixth start over fences when beating Nearest The Pin comfortably at Galway and there's plenty more to come from him as there is the mare SHADOW EILE, an easy winner on her chasing bow and challenging when falling at the last in the race won by Rebel Fitz at Galway last time. She would probably have finished runner-up if keeping her feet and can gain consolation as she receives 11lb from the likely favourite The Real Article, who was impressive when beating Toostrong at Listowel and should have no problems confirming the form with the runner-up.
Ballyfinboy (IRE) 3-1fav (11-1) Mid-division, 8th 4 out, progress on outer into close 5th 3 out, disputed lead and ridden 2 out, headed after last, no extra close home, 3rd of 17, 1 1/4l behind Baidin Fheilimi (11-6) at Killarney 2m 4f cond hcp hdl 80-95 gd in Aug.
Boxer Beat (IRE) 7-1 (10-0) Chased leaders in 3rd, clear of the rest, a bit closer 4 out, ridden in pursuit of winner before straight, soon closed, no impression and kept on same pace inside final furlong, 2nd of 8, 1 3/4l behind Muzak (10-0) at Galway 2m 1f hcp chs gd.
Cootamundra (IRE) 14-1 (11-2) Rear of mid-division, headway into 5th 3 out, no impression in 6th early straight, no extra, 8th of 14, 43l behind Madam Bovary (10-3) at Punchestown 2m 5f nov chs hvy in Apr.
Darwins Fox (FR) 15-8fav (11-12) Always prominent, went 2nd 3 out, close 2nd at last, ridden to lead entering straight, stayed on well final furlong, won at Galway 2m 1f beg chs sft in Aug beating Nearest The Pin (11-12) by 7l, 10 ran.
He's Our Man (IRE) 7-1 (11-6) Chased leader, 3rd halfway, 4th 3 out, ridden and no extra last, kept on one pace, 4th of 6, 15l behind Rebel Fitz (11-9) at Galway 2m 1f nov chs hvy in Aug.
Toostrong (FR) 8-1 (10-9) Slight mistake 2nd, led and disputed at ordinary pace, narrowly headed from before 3 out, no impression in 2nd and kept on same pace from before last, 2nd of 12, 4 1/2l behind The Real Article (11-4) at Listowel 2m 4f hcp chs.
Shadow Eile (IRE) 9-2 (10-13) Chased leaders, closer order 4 out, niggled along to dispute 2nd when fell last, in a race won by Rebel Fitz (11-12) at Galway 2m 1f nov chs gf, 7 ran.
The Folkes Choice 20-1 (11-2) Waited with in rear, slight mistake 4 out, soon no impression and kept on same pace, 6th of 7, 19l behind Cailin Annamh (11-2) at Kilbeggan 2m 3f hdl gf.
The Real Article (IRE) 4-1 (11-4) Soon tracked leaders at ordinary pace, improved to lead from 2 out, stayed on well to assert from last, comfortably, won at Listowel 2m 4f hcp chs beating Toostrong (10-9) by 4 1/2l, 12 ran.
