tracked leaders, 3rd 3 out, headway into 2nd next, ridden and led at last, stayed on under pressure inside final furlong, no extra and headed near line
disputed lead, not fluent at 2nd, headed before next, disputed lead again from 6 out, led after 3 out, ridden and strongly pressed before last, headed at last, stumbled badly on inner inside final furlong and dropped to 3rd, no impression
always behind, mistake 5th and not fluent 8th, under pressure 10th, trailing next, pulled up after 4 out
held up towards rear, closer in 5th 6 out, pushed along in 5th 3 out, headway from 2 out, close 3rd on inner approaching last, soon ridden, went 2nd inside final furlong, stayed on well close home, led near line
disputed lead early, led before 3rd, joined 6 out, ridden and headed after 3 out, soon weakened
tracked leaders, went 2nd briefly at 7th, 4th 3 out, soon ridden and no impression on leaders
tracked leaders in 5th, moderate 6th at 12th, under pressure and no impression when fell next
BALLYWARD won a Leopardstown bumper and scrambled home in a Naas maiden hurdle but then ran well in Grade 1's at Cheltenham and at the Festival here. He could prove to be a smart recruit to fences and looks better at this stage than stable companion C'Est Jersey though the latter also ran very well here in April when runner-up in a lucrative handicap hurdle. Shady Operator looks another potentially smart recruit despite being a beaten favourite on his chasing bow at Navan. The runner-up has won very easily subsequently so the form looks useful and The Conditional, who was only just behind, has to enter the equation. Shawshank completed a double between the flags with an emphatic victory at Dromahane last month and is one to keep an eye on.
Ballyward (IRE) 8-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, soon 4th, bad mistake 3 out, 5th approaching straight, soon no impression, moderate 4th and not fluent last, one pace, 4th of 11, 20 1/2l behind Next Destination (11-10) at Punchestown 3m (1) Yielding in Apr.
C'Est Jersey (FR) 33-1 (10-10) Disputed lead, led from 8th, joined at last, headed and kept on same pace run-in, 2nd of 24, 1 3/4l behind Meri Devie (10-13) at Punchestown 2m 4f hcp Yielding - Soft in Apr.
Kagney (IRE) 25-1 (11-12) Mid-division, mistakes 2nd and 9th, 9th 4 out, no impression from next, never a factor, 9th of 18, dist behind A Plus Tard (11-5) at Naas 2m 3f Yielding in Dec.
Shady Operator (IRE) 13-8fav (11-12) Tracked leaders, ridden in 3rd after 3 out, kept on same pace in 3rd final furlong, 3rd of 12, 10l behind Chris's Dream (11-12) at Navan 2m 4f Yielding in Dec.
Shawshank (IRE) 7-4 (12-2) Chsd lds, jmp wll, 2nd aftr 1m, ld 7th, qckn frm 4out, 10l clr of 3rd when lft clr 2out, sow to line, easily, won at Damma House 3m gd in Nov beating Sandycove Island (12-2) by 15l, 8 ran.
The Conditional (IRE) 7-2 (11-12) Prominent and disputed lead, led after 3rd, blundered and unseated rider 7th, at Thurles 3m 1f gd in Dec.
Alighting 25-1 (10-11) Chased leaders early, dropped to 9th after 4th, reminder from 7 out, soon pushed along and no danger, pulled up before 4 out, at Cork 2m 1f (1) sft in Dec.
