attempted to make all, clear halfway, driven along and reduced advantage before 3 out, headed approaching 2 out, one pace, no chance with winner
held up, over jumped 1st, progress into moderate 3rd 4 out, soon ridden, in touch but under strong pressure when fell 3 out
raced in 2nd until mistake 5 out, soon dropped out of contention, tailed off
always in rear, lost touch before 5 out, tailed off
tracked leaders in 3rd, moderate 2nd from before 4 out, smooth headway to close before 3 out, led travelling easily approaching 2 out, clear from last, not extended
Whatuthink, who gained his first success since 2009 when beating tonight's rival Alpine Eagle by 5l in a similar race to this at Down Royal last month, had an engagement at Leopardstown last night. Stablemate Whodoyouthink was a wide-margin winner over fences at Punchestown in May and is better in that sphere nowadays, a remark that also applies to Alpine Eagle, who has won three times over fences from just five starts. The veteran chaser Finger Onthe Pulse will no doubt be warming up for another crack at the Galway Plate, which he won in 2010 so this can go to DARE TO DOUBT. He's been mixing hurdling and chasing with the Flat but his overall form over timber, which includes a Grade 2 victory last year, gives him an obvious chance with the race conditions very much in his favour.
Whodoyouthink (IRE) 9-1 (11-0) Made all, asserted before 3 out, clear entering straight, kept on strongly, easily, won at Punchestown 2m 6f chs gd in May beating Askanna (10-12) by 17l, 6 ran.
Alpine Eagle (IRE) 10-3fav (11-6) Settled mid-division, slight mistake 2nd, 6th halfway, left 5th 3 out, ridden in 4th 2 out, under pressure in 3rd before last, stayed on to 2nd run-in, no chance with winner, 2nd of 9, 6l behind Whatuthink (11-6) at Down Royal 2m hdl sft in Jun.
Finger Onthe Pulse (IRE) 25-1 (10-10) Prominent, hit 4th, chased winner 13th until before 2 out, 10 lengths down in 4th and no extra when hit last, weakened flat, 7th of 22, 18l behind Salut Flo (10-10) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Mar.
Island Wood (IRE) 33-1 (11-12) Soon led, fell 2nd, in a race won by Bishopsfurze (11-12) at Clonmel 2m chs sft in Feb, 5 ran.
Dare To Doubt 40-1 (11-5) Held up in rear, some headway when not fluent 2 out, soon ridden and no impression, 14th of 19, 12l behind Quevega (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hdl G2 (1) gd in Mar.
Whatuthink (IRE) 7-2 (11-6) Made all, ridden before 2 out, kept on strongly to assert from before last, eased closing stages, won at Down Royal 2m hdl sft in Jun beating Alpine Eagle (11-6) by 6l, 9 ran.
