led, slight mistake and headed 6th, dropped to 4th before 3 out and soon no extra, weakened, eased
tracked leader, led 6th, asserted after 2 out and clear last, stayed on well, very easily
always rear, pushed along after 2nd and reminder after 5th, detached before 5 out, no extra, behind and pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders, 3rd halfway, went 2nd at 8th, pushed along before 2 out and soon no impression on winner, no extra
tracked leaders, 4th halfway, pushed along and no impression in 3rd after 3 out, went moderate 2nd last, kept on one pace
A small but select field headed by the exciting DEATH DUTY. Gordon Elliott's Grade 1-winning hurdler looked very much in need of the experience on his chasing bow at Tipperary and didn't win by far but looks a major prospect for the big novice events this winter. Woodland Opera completed a double in the spring when landing a very tough novices' handicap on this track and though he wouldn't have caught Ballycasey when he fell at Killarney it was still a very fair effort. The four-year-old Tout Est Permis is in the same ownership as the selection and he looked a very smart recruit when making a winning debut over fences at Gowran. He gets allowances and can go well but Three Wise Men was beaten a long way in testing ground at Listowel after scoring on good going at Galway. A Rated is on a hat-trick having jumped well at Kilbeggan and Wexford though this is a much stronger line-up.
A Rated (IRE) 7-2 (11-12) Tracked leader, 2nd after 4th, headway to lead after 4 out, ridden and kept on best under pressure run-in, won at Wexford 2m gd in Sep beating Sharlanda (11-5) by 1/2l, 8 ran.
Death Duty (IRE) 1-5fav (11-12) Prominent, slight mistake 1st, on terms 3rd and soon led, bad mistake 5th, soon went on, reduced lead from 3 out, went on again from next until bad mistake last, soon strongly pressed and joined, ridden out hands and heels to assert again near finish, won at Tipperary 2m 7f sft in Oct beating Cap D'aubois (11-12) by 3/4l, 8 ran.
Three Wise Men (IRE) 7-4 (11-7) Soon led, joined after 4th, slight mistake 7th and headed, mistake 3 out and no impression, one pace, 2nd of 4, 20l behind Rathvinden (11-12) at Listowel 2m 4f hvy in Sep.
Woodland Opera (IRE) 10-11fav (10-13) Settled behind leaders, 2nd from 3rd, pressed leader briefly from 6 out to after next, ridden in 2nd before 2 out, under pressure when fell 2 out, at Killarney 2m 5f (1) sft in May.
Tout Est Permis (FR) 8-1 (11-2) Prominent, soon 3rd, on terms 6th, slight mistake 8th, led approaching straight and soon pushed along, joined 2 out, led last, stayed on well to assert run-in, won at Gowran Park 2m 2f Soft - Heavy in Sep beating Brelade (11-12) by 6l, 11 ran.
