tracked leader, slightly hampered and left in lead 4th, fell 7th
towards rear, slightly hampered 4th, hampered and left 4th at 7th, went 3rd after 2 out, pushed along run-in and no impression from 1f out
tracked leaders, left 3rd at 7th, pecked slightly 3 out, headway early straight and led last, pushed along and asserted early final furlong, kept on well
tracked leaders, hampered and left 2nd at 4th, left in lead 7th, 1 length lead entering straight, pecked last and headed, ridden and no impression on winner final furlong, kept on one pace
led, 4 lengths clear when fell 4th
tracked leaders, left 2nd at 7th, slow 9th, pushed along early straight and dropped to rear before last, no extra run-in, eased inside final furlong
Easy Game narrowly beat Castlegrace Paddy in this a year ago and his stable dominate the race this time with four of the six entries. Brian Hayes was on board a year ago and keeps the mount with Mark Walsh booked for J P's JANIDIL (NAP), unbeaten in two starts here including a Grade 1 last April. His eight runs since making a successful chasing debut in November 2020 have been at the highest level and this represents a drop in class after chasing home his brilliant stablemate Allaho at Cheltenham. Paul Townend is on board Blackbow, who sauntered round Clonmel for a confidence-boosting victory but takes on vastly superior rivals here.
Janidil (FR) 12-1 (11-10) Held up towards rear, went 4th 11th, pushed along after 4 out, went 2nd after 3 out until 2 out, went 2nd again last, no chance with winner, 2nd of 7, 14l behind Allaho (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m 5f (1) sft in Mar.
Castlegrace Paddy (IRE) 15-2 (11-10) Held up disputing 5th, 5th from 4th, slight mistake and pushed along 4 out, ridden in 5th next, no impression, moderate 4th after last, 4th of 6, 18l behind Sizing Pottsie (11-5) at Navan 2m (1) sft in Mar.
Easy Game (FR) 7-2 (11-12) Tracked leaders, 3rd halfway, pushed along and no impression approaching straight, kept on one pace from 2 out, 3rd of 4, 21l behind Fakir D'Oudairies (12-0) at Clonmel 2m 5f (1) sft in Nov.
Cilaos Emery (FR) 10-3 (11-8) Led, headed 4th, disputed lead from 6th, led 3 out, ridden and headed before next, no impression on winner after 2 out, 3rd when bad mistake at last and soon dropped to 5th, no impression, last of 6, 20 3/4l behind Sizing Pottsie (11-5) at Navan 2m (1) sft in Mar.
Blackbow (IRE) 3-10fav (11-8) Made all, soon well clear with 1 rival, 5 lengths lead halfway, slight mistake 5 out, travelled well and increased advantage 2 out, kept on well, easily, won at Clonmel 2m 4f sft in Mar beating Spyglass Hill (11-2) by 36l, 5 ran.
Hardline (IRE) 50-1 (11-12) Chased leaders, not fluent 11th, lost place before next, weakened after 13th, pulled up before 3 out, at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) sft in Mar.
