tracked leaders, slightly impeded early and briefly pushed along, pushed along again after halfway, dropped towards rear under 6f out, soon no impression
a little keen, soon tracked leaders, disputed 3rd under 6f out, closed and effort over 3f out, no extra and one pace from under 2f out, impeded 1f out
soon chased leaders, disputed 5th under 6f out, pushed along over 3f out on inner, no extra and one pace from under 2f out
prominent, 2nd 6f out, led travelling smoothly under 2f out, asserted from over 1f out, stayed on strongly, very easily
waited with in rear, some headway in 9th under 6f out, tracked leaders over 3f out, no extra and one pace from under 2f out
waited with towards rear, under pressure over 5f out, soon no impression
keen, soon chased leaders, disputed 5th under 6f out, effort on outer over 3f out, no extra and one pace from under 2f out
mid-division, disputed 7th under 6f out, pushed along 3 1/2f out and chased leaders, no extra and one pace from under 2f out
led, headed under 2f out, no extra from over 1f out, one pace
waited with towards rear, pushed along over 4f out, soon no impression
waited with, disputed 7th under 6f out, soon headway until no extra from 2f out
prominent, disputed 3rd under 6f out, under pressure 3 1/2f out and lost position, soon weakened
Gordon Elliott has won this for the past five years, all with favourites, and SIR GERHARD will be at short odds to continue the sequence. Cheveley Park Stud went to £400,000 to purchase him from the Tatts Cheltenham Sales after he landed a point at Boulta by 12 lengths last November and will be expecting an early return on their investment. The Banger Doyle has been beaten a long way into third in his two starts while Vintage Prosecco fell too far out at Ballindenisk in December to make a judgement, though he was a long way clear at the time. Noel Meade has been in good form so Night Combat is one to note on his debut under Rules.
Bowtie (IRE) 80-1 (12-0) Chased leaders, not fluent 2nd, mistake 4th and soon lost place, ridden and no extra 3 out, completely tailed off, 10th of 12, dist behind Farceur Du Large (12-0) at Downpatrick 2m 3f mdn Yielding in Oct.
Largy Mist (IRE) Scorpion gelding out of Light Mist.
Night Combat (IRE) 5-2 (11-6) Twrds rr of mid-div, rdn aftr 7th, 8th bef 5out, ko frm 2out, no dngr, 6th of 12, 19 1/2l behind A Different World (11-6) at Dromahane 3m mdn gd in Apr.
Sir Gerhard (IRE) 2-1 (11-11) Ld/disp on inner, ld bef 3out, went clr aftr 2out, sow, won at Boulta 3m mdn Yielding - Soft in Nov beating Minella Drama (11-11) by 12l, 10 ran.
Vintage Prosseco (IRE) 5-1 (11-11) Ld, 20l clr by 5th, further clr frm 1/2way until mstk & fell 6out, at Ballindenisk 3m mdn sft in Dec.
Bacchus Lescribaa (FR) 10-1 (11-9) Always behind, never a factor, 11th of 14, 35 3/4l behind Kapard (11-2) at Roscommon 2m mdn gd in Sep.
Getupthemstairs (IRE) Getaway gelding out of Luck's A Lady.
Kinnegad Lad (IRE) Scorpion gelding out of Kinnegads Pride.
The Banger Doyle (IRE) 16-1 (11-9) Led, ridden and headed under 2f out, no extra in 3rd inside final furlong, kept on one pace, 3rd of 17, 16 1/2l behind Weseekhimhere (11-9) at Galway 2m Yielding - Soft in Jul.
Didgeridee (IRE) (11-6) Pr early, b mstk 6th & sn rcd 5th, wknd to rr 5out, bhnd & pu 3out, at Portrush 3m mdn Yielding in Oct.
Lucy Van Pelt (IRE) 14-1 (11-5) Towards rear, 9th halfway, under pressure and detached over 4f out, weakened under 4f out, completely tailed off, last of 9, at Fairyhouse 2m Yielding in Oct.
Auntie Doyen (IRE) 80-1 (11-4) Waited with, soon towards rear, pushed along after 5th, under pressure from 3 out, soon weakened, 12th of 15, dist behind Robinnia (11-9) at Punchestown 2m 5f mdn gd in Sep.
Roxanya (IRE) 28-1 (10-11) Settled behind leaders, 5th halfway, closer 6f out, ridden and no extra 4f out, weakened and tailed off, 8th of 10, dist behind Delvino (11-9) at Down Royal 2m 1f hvy in Mar.
