waited with in rear, slight mistake 8th, pushed along approaching 3 out, soon no impression, mistake 2 out
raced in 2nd, mistake 4 out and soon dropped to 3rd, effort between horses 2 out, pushed along in 2nd between last 2, not match winner from before last and slight mistake, one pace
led, not fluent 4th, joined before 2 out, soon pushed along and headed and dropped to 3rd, one pace
raced in 3rd, closed up from 4 out in 2nd, on terms before 2 out, soon pushed along, went on from before last, stayed on well to assert run-in, comfortably
Three Grade 1-winning chasers contest this Listed event along with the potentially smart Darasso, unbeaten in three starts over fences including a Grade 2 at Navan last March before reverting to hurdles. He was beaten 9 lengths behind PRESENTING PERCY over timber at Gowran earlier and the latter has a fitness advantage over his main rivals having finished a very good fourth behind The Storyteller in the Champion Chase at Down Royal last month. He had 7 lengths to spare over Monalee in the 2018 RSA Novices' Chase at Cheltenham though Henry De Bromhead's charge undoubtedly improved last season with superb efforts behind Delta Work in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at Leopardstown and a close fourth in the Gold Cup. He'd twice finished behind Kemboy earlier but reversed the form in those latter events at Leopardstown and Cheltenham. Willie Mullins has won four of the last five so Kemboy will be tuned up to continue the sequence.
Darasso (FR) 40-1 (11-10) Held up towards rear, pushed along after 5th, never in contention, 10th of 17, 20l behind Epatante (11-3) at Cheltenham 2m (1) sft in Mar.
Kemboy (FR) 8-1 (11-10) Led until jumped right 1st, soon in mid-division, mistake 15th, towards rear when mistake 18th, some headway 2 out, no impression, edged left flat, 7th of 12, 12l behind Al Boum Photo (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m 2f (1) gs in Mar.
Monalee (IRE) 20-1 (11-10) Raced freely, chased leaders, led 14th, not fluent 16th, headed 4 out, ridden 2 out, stayed on flat, 4th of 12, 1 3/4l behind Al Boum Photo (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m 2f (1) gs in Mar.
Presenting Percy 3-1 (11-12) Chased leaders, soon moderate 3rd, took closer order approaching 11th, prominent between horses from 3 out, led briefly approaching 2 out, soon joined and headed, one pace between last 2, 4th of 9, 6l behind The Storyteller (11-12) at Down Royal 3m (1) Yielding in Oct.
Beyond The Law (IRE) 7-1 (11-2) Led, clear from 3rd, reduced advantage halfway, mistake 5 out, ridden and headed before 2 out, fell 2 out, at Galway 2m 7f hcp sft in Oct.
