always towards rear, slight mistakes 1st and 2nd, pushed along 5 out, soon no extra and weakened, pulled up before 3 out
led, ridden and headed before 2 out, soon no extra in 3rd
held up towards rear, closer in 5th 5 out, ridden and no extra after 3 out, left moderate 4th 2 out
settled behind leaders early, 3rd halfway, improved to dispute before 2 out, ridden in 2nd and mistake 2 out, no impression on winner before last, kept on same pace
settled behind leaders, 4th halfway, slight mistakes 5 out and 4 out, travelled well to dispute before 2 out, led and slight mistake 2 out, pushed out to assert before last, comfortably
chased leader, 2nd halfway, ridden and no extra before straight, moderate 4th when fell 2 out
chased leaders, dropped to 5th at 7th, 6th and no extra 4 out, weakened
After a very easy victory in a Gowran maiden on heavy ground at Gowran, SCARPETA went to Cheltenham for the Ballymore and wasn't beaten far behind Samcro. He has yet to prove he stays anywhere near this trip but is the youngest in the line-up and can make a successful reappearance. Chateau Conti beat the useful The Storyteller at Fairyhouse a year ago but has had a disastrous spell over fences, failing to complete in three of his four starts and being well beaten in the other. The veteran Val De Ferbet has also been running over the bigger obstacles without much luck but won't mind a stamina test so more rain would help while Prince Garyantle won a Punchestown handicap in April and has won over this trip in the past.
Chateau Conti (FR) 25-1 (11-12) In rear, mistakes 1st and 3rd, fell 5th, at Navan 2m 1f gd in Nov.
Prince Garyantle (IRE) 25-1 (11-0) Led, headed 2nd, led again from 7th, ridden and headed 2 out, soon weakened, 6th of 13, 17 3/4l behind Walk To Freedom (10-12) at Navan 2m 7f hcp gd in Nov.
Westland Row (IRE) 16-1 (10-9) Mid-division, mistake and unseated rider at 2nd, at Navan 2m 7f hcp gd in Nov.
Robbin'hannon (IRE) 5-2 (11-0) Tracked leaders, not fluent 8th, pushed along before 12th, soon outpaced, last of 4, dist behind Wotzizname (11-6) at Doncaster 3m (4) sft in Jan.
Scarpeta (FR) 2-5fav (9-11) Soon tracked leader, 3rd approaching halfway, ridden straight, no impression when slightly impeded inside final furlong, kept on without matching principals after, 4th of 10, 2 1/4l behind Emperor Waltz (9-9) at Killarney 2m 1f hcp sft in May.
Val De Ferbet (FR) 33-1 (11-7) Prominent, dropped to 12th after 11th, no danger towards rear when fell 5 out, at Cork 3m 4f hcp Yielding in Nov.
Ask Mary (IRE) 25-1 (10-11) Chased leaders and 5th from halfway, pushed along in 6th from 3 out, no impression and kept on same pace from before 2 out, 6th of 14, 35 1/2l behind Aforementioned (11-4) at Limerick 2m mdn Good - Yielding in Nov.