chased leaders, moderate 3rd at 7th, not fluent 10th and pushed along briefly, dropped towards rear 13th, no danger and hit 4 out, no extra
held up, bad mistake and unseated rider 4th
towards rear, slightly slow in jumping early, slight mistake 4th, not fluent 7th, headway 10th to chase leaders, moderate 4th approaching 5 out, soon 5th and weakened
soon towards rear, pushed along at stages from early, headway 10th to chase leaders, not fluent 12th, no impression 5 out, weakened and pulled up before 2 out
in rear, progress 13th, moderate 5th approaching 5 out, soon 4th, 3rd before 3 out, chased leader into straight, ridden to challenge run-in, led and stayed on best closing stages
soon prominent and led before 3rd, quickly joined, led again 5 out, pressed run-in, headed and kept on well without quite matching winner closing stages
soon chased leaders, slightly slow in jumping at times, slight mistake 3rd, reminders 6th, moderate 4th next, not fluent 12th, moderate 3rd approaching 5 out, no extra from next and pulled up before 2 out
tracked leaders, close up before 3rd, soon on terms, headed and slightly slow 5 out, pushed along next, weakened in 3rd between last 2
led early, headed when slight mistake 3rd, dropped to moderate 5th at 7th, soon pushed along, reminder after 9th, lost place and no danger 11th, pulled up before 4 out
Roi Des Francs doesn't appear to have benefited from a change of stables after looking a bright prospect at this time a year ago. He finished a long way behind BAIE DES ILES in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown when Ross Sullivan's six-year-old mare galloped her rivals into the ground over that 3m4f trip. She deserves a crack at this grade and with conditions in her favour gets the vote to follow up. Pleasant Company won a tough Punchestown handicap in April and made a promising return to action at Gowran last month so he's on the shortlist as is Thunder And Roses, who may not be the most consistent but jumps well and stays extreme distances. Wounded Warrior hasn't done as well as expected since a fine novice career though he's generally raced at a high level.
Roi Des Francs (FR) 8-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, moderate 3rd 6 out, ridden in moderate 4th 2 out, soon no impression, 5th of 15, 26 3/4l behind Baie Des Iles (10-11) at Punchestown 3m 4f hcp sft in Feb.
Georges Conn (IRE) 16-1 (9-10) Rear of mid-division, moderate 6th 6 out, fell next, at Punchestown 3m 4f hcp sft in Feb.
Lord Windermere (IRE) 25-1 (11-10) Mid-division, dropped towards rear and pushed along from 10th, ridden and no impression before 4 out, 9th of 13, dist behind Outlander (11-10) at Leopardstown 3m (1) Yielding in Dec.
My Murphy (IRE) 25-1 (11-3) Tracked leaders early, reminders 9th, weakened from 5 out, pulled up before 3 out, at Punchestown 3m 4f hcp sft in Feb.
Pleasant Company (IRE) 10-1 (11-1) Mid-division, progress after 4 out, 5th and pecked 2 out, ridden and no impression before last, kept on one pace, 4th of 18, 17 3/4l behind Champagne West (11-7) at Gowran Park 3m 1f hcp sft in Jan.
Thunder And Roses (IRE) 5-1 (11-2) Soon tracked leaders, 4th at 7th, 5th approaching straight, no impression from 2 out, some headway before last where not fluent, kept on into 2nd without troubling winner closing stages, 2nd of 8, 6l behind Texas Jack (10-11) at Fairyhouse 3m 1f Soft - Heavy in Feb.
Wounded Warrior (IRE) 25-1 (11-5) Mid-division, pushed along in 8th entering straight, no impression in 7th 2 out, kept on one pace, 6th of 18, 21 3/4l behind Champagne West (11-7) at Gowran Park 3m 1f hcp sft in Jan.
Baie Des Iles (FR) 8-1 (10-11) Made all, clear from 4th, reduced advantage 2 out, ridden and stayed on well run-in, won at Punchestown 3m 4f hcp sft in Feb beating Sambremont (10-6) by 4 3/4l, 15 ran.
Not For Burning (IRE) 10-1 (10-11) Soon led and disputed, slight mistake 2nd, headed 2 out and soon 3rd, no extra approaching last, soon 2nd, dropped to 3rd again closing stages, 3rd of 8, 8 3/4l behind Texas Jack (10-11) at Fairyhouse 3m 1f Soft - Heavy in Feb.
