led, attempted to assert straight, pressed and mistake 2 out, soon headed and no impression, rider without iron before last where slight mistake, dropped to 3rd close home and 4th on line
chased leaders, 3rd 3 out, no impression under pressure from before next, kept on run-in to go 2nd close home
chased leaders, pushed along on outer from early straight, 5th 3 out, no extra from before next
raced in 2nd, challenged under pressure from before 2 out where left in lead, soon clear, stayed on well run-in, comfortably
in rear, slight mistake 6th, no extra from 3 out
soon raced in 5th, 4th 3 out, no impression under pressure from before next, kept on run-in to go 3rd on line
Both Johnny McGeeney and Sydney Des Pictons have changed stables and have very long absences to overcome and though Won In The Dark landed this two years ago he hasn't won since and has been in poor form. Aerlite Supreme has been going very well and attempts a hat-trick but the race conditions don't suit and it's difficult to see him conceding 12lb to DARWINS FOX, who is rated 6lb higher. The latter spent most of last season over fences where he won twice but ran a fine race on his return to hurdles in a Fairyhouse handicap where he couldn't quite cope with Daneking. That should be good enough for this as Sailors Warn, who started favourite, was well beaten though he bounced back to gain a comfortable victory on the Flat at Sligo last week.
Aerlite Supreme (IRE) 5-1 (11-9) Tracked leader in 2nd, led 3 out, pushed along and headed last, rallied under pressure run-in to lead close home, won at Ballinrobe 2m hdl gd in Apr beating Usa (11-6) by nk, 5 ran.
Sailors Warn (IRE) 9-2fav (11-6) Chased leaders, slight mistake 5th, 7th halfway, ridden entering straight, no impression 2 out, 9th of 17, 24l behind Daneking (10-12) at Fairyhouse 2m hcp hdl in Apr.
Won In The Dark (IRE) 33-1 (11-7) Soon chased leaders, 6th 5 out, no impression from before last, 11th of 25, 20l behind Off The Charts (11-2) at Punchestown 3m.
Darwins Fox (FR) 33-1 (11-1) Chased leaders, led after 2nd, ridden before 2 out, challenged 2 out and soon narrowly headed, no extra in 2nd before last, kept on same pace, 2nd of 17, 3l behind Daneking (10-12) at Fairyhouse 2m hcp hdl in Apr.
Johnny McGeeney (IRE) 10-1 (10-0) Tracked leaders, 5th 4 out, ridden to lead before last, soon strongly pressed, kept on well run-in, won at Punchestown 2m ext hcp hdl gd in May '11 beating Nearest The Pin (9-10) by nk, 19 ran.
Sydney Des Pictons (FR) 7-1 (11-3) Mid-division, headway into 7th approaching straight, challenged 2 out, soon led and wandered about before last, stayed on well under pressure run-in to draw clear, won at Navan 2m mdn hdl sft in Jan '11 beating Sicilian Secret (11-10) by 4l, 28 ran.
