raced keenly, made all, not fluent 5th, clear after 5th until 2 out, clear again last, stayed on strongly, impressive
in rear, jumped right 2nd, slow next, behind from 4th
mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, chased winner before next, driven and no impression last
held up in mid-division, effort approaching 3 out, no impression, weakened flat
held up towards rear, ridden and weakened before 3 out
2nd until after 1st, chased leaders, not fluent 2nd, ridden before 3 out, went 3rd last but no impression
not that fluent, held up towards rear, ridden and no impression when jumped left 3 out
chased winner after 1st, lost 2nd before mistake 2 out, no impression in 4th last
NonRunner
CERBERUS has won twice at Fairyhouse by wide margins since running better-fancied stablemate A Wave Of The Sea to a neck on his hurdling debut. He looks a smart juvenile and is just preferred to the unbeaten Allmankind, who had Nordano behind when landing a Grade 2 at Cheltenham. Tavus did very well to reel in a subsequent Grade 2 winner at Newcastle on his hurdles bow and could be anything while Elysian Flame, a useful stayer on the Flat, made late headway at Cheltenham earlier this month, will need to find plenty of improvement to get the better of some of these.
Allmankind 11-4 (10-12) Raced freely, made all, clear after 2nd until after 3 out (usual 4 out), shaken up and found extra turning in, ridden out flat, stayed on well, won at Cheltenham 2m (1) sft in Nov beating Botox Has (10-12) by 2 1/2l, 10 ran.
Art Of Diplomacy 100-1 (10-12) Held up in rear, outpaced 2 out, soon weakened, 7th of 8, 31l behind Botox Has (11-2) at Cheltenham 2m 1f (2) sft in Dec.
Cerberus 5-4jfav (10-9) Made all, strongly pressed 2 out, soon pushed along, ridden at last, stayed on well under pressure inside final furlong, won at Fairyhouse 2m (1) Yielding - Soft in Dec beating A Wave Of The Sea (10-13) by 2 1/4l, 9 ran.
Elysian Flame 4-1 (10-12) Not jump well in rear, headway off final bend, mistake last, kept on, went 3rd towards finish, 3rd of 8, 9l behind Botox Has (11-2) at Cheltenham 2m 1f (2) sft in Dec.
Jean Genie (FR) (11-4) 4th of 7, 4l behind Tzar Royal (11-2) at Auteuil 2m 1f hvy in Sep.
Nordano (GER) 9-1 (10-12) Mostly chased winner, close up 3 out (usual 4 out), lost place after 2 out, driven and unable to go with leaders turning in, well held in 4th before last, 4th of 10, 14l behind Allmankind (10-12) at Cheltenham 2m (1) sft in Nov.
Tavus (IRE) 9-2 (10-12) Held up in 4th, left tracking front pair on bend after 4 out, went 2nd approaching 2 out, 2 lengths down last, ridden and stayed on well to lead final strides, won at Newcastle 2m (2) hvy in Nov beating Navajo Pass (11-3) by nk, 5 ran.
Maskada (FR) 33-1 (10-5) Prominent, led after 3rd, headed next, led 3 out, edged right after 2 out, not fluent last, edged right flat, held on, won at Warwick 2m mdn (4) sft in Dec beating Palladium (10-12) by shd, 15 ran.
I Like Him (FR) 10-1 (10-12) Led until after 3rd, led before 4th, headed 3 out, stayed on same pace from next, went 3rd flat, 3rd of 15, 9 1/4l behind Maskada (10-5) at Warwick 2m mdn (4) sft in Dec.
