settled in rear, no threat in straight, 5th 1f out and kept on one pace
tracked leader in 2nd, 3rd 2f out and soon ridden, no impression in 4th from 1f out, kept on one pace
led, ridden 2f out and strongly pressed over 1f out, headed early final furlong, kept on same pace under pressure but no impression on winner closing stages
settled in 5th, pushed along early straight and headway between horses to challenge over 1f out, led inside final furlong and wandered a bit under pressure, kept on well closing stages
tracked leaders in 4th, headway to go 2nd early straight, ridden and tried to challenge over 1f out, no impression inside final furlong and kept on same pace
tracked leaders on outer in 3rd, pushed along and dropped to 5th early straight, no extra from well over 1f out
Dylan Thomas won this for Ballydoyle in 2007 and it's Ernest Hemingway attempting to emulate him here. The son of Galileo has run just four times but was a major disappointment after scoring at Dundalk by 10 lengths on his debut a year ago. Steps To Freedom, a Grade 2 winning hurdler, generally performs over much further though he did have the pace to win over 1m3f at Dundalk in February. Captain Joy has been going great guns on Polytrack but takes a big step up in class but the lightly-raced filly Montebell deserves her place in this company after landing a premier handicap here in September. PARISH HALL makes a very welcome return after an absence since finishing runner-up in the 2011 Dewhurst. He's entered in two Group 1 races in the next few weeks so Jim Bolger should have him ready to make a successful reappearance.
Captain Joy (IRE) 5-4fav (9-12) Tracked leaders in 3rd, niggled along into straight, stayed on well final furlong to lead near finish, won at Dundalk 1m 4yo stk pol in Mar beating Custom Cut (9-12) by 1/2l, 6 ran.
Ernest Hemingway (IRE) 7-2 (8-8) Soon led and clear, well clear 2f out, soon ridden, headed inside final furlong, kept on same pace, 2nd of 11, 2 1/2l behind Shadow Gate (9-5) at Dundalk 1m 3f 3yo stks pol in Oct.
Inis Meain (USA) 9-1 (9-7) Led, ridden and challenged under 2f out, headed 1 1/2f out, 2nd and no extra 1f out, kept on same pace final furlong, dropped to 4th close home, 4th of 20, 4 1/2l behind Sweet Lightning (9-8) at Curragh 1m Extended Handicap (4yo+) hvy in Mar.
Parish Hall (IRE) 20-1 (9-1) Keen tracked leader, led entering final 2f, ridden and ran on, won at Newmarket 7f 2yo Grp 1 (1) gd in Oct '11 beating Power (9-1) by 1/2l, 9 ran.
Steps To Freedom (IRE) Evensfav (9-13) Settled in 5th, closer early straight and headway to lead over 1f out, stayed on well to draw clear inside final furlong, won at Dundalk 1m 3f 4yo stk pol in Feb beating Ozeta (9-1) by 4 1/2l, 6 ran.
Montebell (IRE) 9-2 (8-6) Mid-division, 8th into straight, headway into 4th under 2f out, led 1f out, kept on well, eased near finish, won at Curragh 1m 4f fll hcp in Sep beating Placere (8-3) by 1/2l, 12 ran.
