rear of mid-division, niggled along briefly at 4th, headway into 3rd 2 out, close 3rd at last, pushed along and led inside final furlong, ridden and stayed on well close home, comfortably
tracked leaders, slight mistake 5th, weakened from 3 out
always behind, bumped at 1st and again at 2nd, no impression from 3 out, never a factor
tracked leader in 2nd, pecked on landing and unseated rider at 2nd
tracked leaders, left 2nd and slightly hampered at 2nd, disputed lead 3 out, ridden and headed 2 out, no impression
in rear, mistake 2nd, bad mistake and unseated rider at 5th
led, joined 3 out, ridden and headed 2 out, weakened
mid-division, hampered 2nd, closer in 4th 4 out, ridden in 4th 2 out, soon no impression
mid-division on outer, headway into 3rd 4 out, led 2 out, soon ridden and strongly pressed, headed inside final furlong, kept on same pace close home
tracked leaders, 6th 4 out, ridden and no impression from 2 out
mid-division, ridden in 7th when mistake 2 out, no impression
towards rear, 7th 3 out, headway into 5th 2 out, soon ridden, went 2nd and slight mistake at last, no extra in 3rd run-in
Punches Cross has yet to win but looked like doing so when tackling 2m2f at Thurles before being undone by a mistake at the last. Dark Outsider wins his share though never from a mark this high so BARNA VENTURE looks the one to beat. Denis Hogan's charge was always up with the pace when scoring at Thurles and, though he's up 6lb, that was only his third start over fences so further progress is likely. Maighnealta showed little in his first spell over fences but did much better when tackling 2m2f at Clonmel where he was only headed at the last. Well Tom's only victory came over 2m6f at Galway so this looks on the short side but any rain would help the mud-lark Shrewdoperator, who made a promising return to action at Gowran.
Punches Cross (IRE) 7-2 (11-12) Chased leaders, soon moderate 4th, 3rd from 3 out, travelling smoothly and closed to challenge from next, led between last 2, quickly headed after slight mistake last, no extra and one pace run-in, 2nd of 6, 3 1/2l behind Mighty Stowaway (11-12) at Thurles 2m 2f gd in Nov.
Dark Outsider (IRE) 10-1 (11-2) Led, joined when jumped slightly left 4th, led again before 3 out, jumped left 2 out and pressed, stayed on well run-in, won at Cork 2m 1f hcp Yielding in Nov beating Just A Normal Day (11-2) by 1 3/4l, 9 ran.
Duke Cass (IRE) 16-1 (11-4) Held up in mid-division, ridden in moderate 8th and no impression entering straight, soon no extra, 9th of 15, dist behind Gunfire Reef (10-8) at Punchestown 2m 7f hcp gd in Nov.
Barna Venture (IRE) 8-1 (11-7) Soon led, joined 4 out and slight mistake, soon headed, back on terms before straight, soon led again, asserted and stayed on well from last, won at Thurles 2m 2f hcp gd in Nov beating Fairymount Boy (11-7) by 4l, 11 ran.
Customer (FR) 25-1 (10-13) Chased leaders, 6th halfway, ridden in 9th entering straight, under pressure in 6th 2 out, no impression before last, kept on one pace, 6th of 18, 9 1/4l behind All The Chimneys (11-6) at Clonmel 2m 1f hcp Yielding in Dec.
Maighnealta (IRE) 7-1 (10-10) Settled behind leaders, 5th halfway, pushed along in 4th to close entering straight, ridden to dispute before 2 out, 2nd and held run-in, 2nd of 8, 3 1/4l behind Capture The Drama (11-7) at Clonmel 2m 2f hcp Yielding in Dec.
Shrewdoperator (IRE) 14-1 (10-9) Led and disputed, slight mistake 4 out, joined last, soon headed and no extra in 4th, one pace, 4th of 10, 6 3/4l behind Lacken Bridge (10-7) at Gowran Park 2m hcp Yielding in Nov.
Rebel Turn (IRE) 18-1 (11-12) Mid-division, 6th after 12th, pushed along and losing place when slight mistake 4 out, no extra, behind and pulled up before next, at Tramore 2m 5f hvy in Dec.
Well Tom (IRE) 7-2 (10-7) Tracked leaders, ridden in 3rd before 2 out, soon no impression on leaders, moderate 3rd and mistake at last, soon dropped to 4th, 4th of 8, 21 1/2l behind Danse Away (11-4) at Navan 2m 4f hcp Yielding - Soft in Dec.
Perfect Leader (IRE) 11-2 (11-12) Led and disputed, headed approaching 3 out where mistake, ridden in 4th entering straight, no extra before 2 out, 5th of 10, 18 1/4l behind D'bru Na Boinne (11-12) at Thurles 2m 2f gf in Nov.
Hard Bought (IRE) 10-1 (11-6) Rear of mid-division, good headway 3 out, 3rd and slight mistake next, ridden and no impression in 6th when jumped left last, weakened, 6th of 16, 16 1/2l behind Rocky's Silver (11-2) at Tramore 2m 5f hcp hvy in Dec.
Jimmyjames 10-1 (10-4) Hampered 1st, in rear, slight mistake 6th, no impression from 8th, pulled up before 2 out, at Galway 2m 2f hcp sft in Sep.
