prominent, pushed along from 4 out, lost place and no impression from 3 out, eased from next, left 4th from last
soon prominent and led before 3rd, pushed along into straight, headed last, kept on same pace run-in
soon tracked leaders, challenged and mistake 2 out, kept on well run-in without reaching winner
led, headed before 3rd and raced in 2nd, challenged 3 out, dropped to 5th and no extra when mistake and brought down last
held up towards rear, slight mistake 6th, closed straight, no impression in 4th when fell last
held up towards rear, closed up after 4 out and not much room briefly, challenged straight, led last, kept on well run-in
A very strong line-up for the time of year. Alto Esqua was a very fortunate winner at Listowel when Bamako Moriviere fell when clear at the last but it was still a very taking performance from a horse making his chasing debut after a long absence and there's much more to come. His stable companion Rock On Fruity has much more experience having comfortably landed a Kilbeggan handicap last time though that was over 3m1f and this looks too short. Rosie Alice completes a trio trained by Charles Byrnes and she jumped like an old hand to score over 2m4f on the same day on that latter track. Product Of Love was also having his first start over fences when battling on to beat Roconga at Killarney and he's another progressive type as is Montana Belle, who makes a quick reappearance after a successful chasing debut at Galway last week where he looked one to follow. The four-year-old LANDOFHOPEANDGLORY, a very smart hurdler, was travelling well when falling in a Grade 3 won by Rathvinden at Galway and with his allowance to help is taken to get back to winning ways.
Alto Esqua (FR) 11-2 (11-12) Chased leaders, mistake 6th, moderate 4th halfway, left 2nd 4 out, pushed along and no impression on clear leader approaching straight, 20 lengths down when left in lead last, kept on, won at Listowel 2m 1f hvy in Sep beating Hand Of The King (11-12) by 4l, 9 ran.
Inis Meain (USA) 11-1 (9-12) Held up, pushed along 5f out, ridden into moderate 5th 2f out, kept on one pace from over 1f out, 4th of 9, 10 1/4l behind Lord Erskine (9-7) at Listowel 1m 4f hcp hvy in Sep.
Rock On Fruity (IRE) 8-1 (11-2) Mid-division, headway into 4th travelling well 3 out, close 3rd after next, ridden to lead at last, stayed on well run-in, won at Kilbeggan 3m 1f hcp sft in Sep beating Net D'ecosse (11-10) by 5 1/2l, 11 ran.
Montana Belle (IRE) 9-4fav (11-5) Disputed early, chased leader in 2nd from 2nd, ridden to challenge entering straight, led 1f out, kept on well closing stages, won at Galway 2m 2f sft in Sep beating Aint Dunne Yet (11-12) by 5l, 12 ran.
Rosie Alice (IRE) 5-2fav (11-5) Tracked leaders in 3rd, improved to dispute lead 2 out, led travelling well before last, ridden and stayed on well run-in, easily, won at Kilbeggan 2m 4f sft in Sep beating Penny Jane (11-5) by 2 3/4l, 11 ran.
Landofhopeandglory (IRE) 11-2 (10-4) Held up towards rear, still close up when fell 2 out, at Galway 2m 2f (1) Yielding in Aug.
Product Of Love (IRE) 6-1 (11-12) Made all, joined and ridden last, kept on best run-in and asserted closing stages, won at Killarney 2m 1f gd in Aug beating Roconga (11-12) by 1l, 13 ran.
