taken steadily to post, led, not fluent 3rd, headed next, lost 2nd and weakened quickly 8th, tailed off next, pulled up before 2 out
tracked leaders, went 2nd after 3 out, challenged next, led before last, came clear with ears pricked and stayed on well run-in
well in rear, tailed off 4 out, never a factor
tracked leader, led 4th, joined 2 out, ridden and headed before hit last, stayed on same pace run-in, no chance with winner, lost 2nd on line
held up in 5th, closer in 4th at 8th, beaten when blundered 2 out
raced keenly tracking leaders on inside, went 2nd 8th until after 3 out, ridden and plugged on in 3rd run-in, went 2nd on line, no chance with winner
Ballyoisin won when returning from a lengthy absence at Ballinrobe and was then second to a useful Willie Mullins’ chaser at Listowel. Nuts Well won this in 2018 and again last year when beating Aye Right a length-and-a-half with Cracking Destiny further behind. Ann Hamilton’s stable star runs well fresh so a hat-trick is a distinct possibility but KING D’ARGENT (NAP) should also be ready to roll and Dan Skelton’s bold-jumping front-runner will be hard to peg back if getting into a rhythm. Gold Des Bois faces a tough task from 8lb out of the handicap.
Ballyoisin (IRE) Evensfav (11-4) Led, 2 lengths clear halfway, pushed along and headed 2 out, ridden and slight mistake last, no impression on winner run-in, kept on one pace, 2nd of 3, 3 1/2l behind Easy Game (11-10) at Listowel 2m 4f Good - Yielding in Sep.
Nuts Well 22-1 (11-7) Held up off the pace in last trio, never involved, 6th of 7, 21 1/2l behind Greaneteen (11-7) at Sandown 2m (1) gd in Apr.
Aye Right (IRE) 8-1 (11-11) Held up in mid-division, shaken up after 22nd, 7th 4 out, 6th but plenty to do when blundered badly 3 out, no extra, 10th of 22, 14 1/2l behind Mighty Thunder (11-1) at Ayr 4m hcp (1) gd in Apr.
King D'Argent (FR) 7-4fav (11-11) Chased leader, hit 3rd, challenged 6th, led 8th, mistake and headed last, held flat, 2nd of 6, 3l behind Theinval (11-3) at Ayr 2m hcp lst (1) gd in Apr.
Cracking Destiny (IRE) 5-1 (10-11) Tracked leading pair, went 2nd before 4 out, led going well home turn, almost joined last, ridden and stayed on strongly run-in, won at Stratford 2m 3f hcp (2) gd in Aug beating Yccs Portocervo (10-8) by 1 1/2l, 7 ran.
Gold Des Bois (FR) 10-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders in 4th, ridden in 4th before 2 out, 3rd at last, kept on same pace, 2nd of 7, 2 1/2l behind Craic Eile (10-11) at Tramore 2m hcp gd in Aug.
