rear of mid-division, slight mistake 6th, 6th halfway, no extra and detached 5 out, fell next
always towards rear, mistake 7th, detached when mistake 5 out, weakened, completely tailed off
tracked leaders, 3rd halfway, headway to challenge 2 out and led entering straight, soon asserted and clear approaching last, kept on well, easily
tracked leader, 2nd halfway, slight mistake 10th and dropped to 5th before 4 out, soon no extra, kept on one pace in straight
tracked leaders, 5th halfway, slight mistake 9th, 3rd 4 out, soon pushed along, 4th and no extra entering straight, weakened
disputed lead early and led after 2nd, slight mistake 6th, pressed 2 out, pushed along and headed entering straight, soon no impression on winner, ridden and kept on one pace run-in
prominent early, tracked leaders and 4th halfway, pushed along after 4 out, 3rd and no impression entering straight, kept on one pace
towards rear, slight mistakes 7th and 8th, mistake 9th, soon pushed along and detached, weakened, pulled up before 5 out
Ministerforsport has now had a dozen starts over fences without winning. He followed a narrow defeat by Home By The Lee at Limerick by pulling up behind that winner in a Cork Grade 3. The latter is trained by Joseph O'Brien, who has Fakir engaged here. A smart and progressive hurdler, he took a while to warm up on his chasing bow at Gowran but was returning from a long break and will have come on markedly for the run. Mormon ran a fine race in the Troytown and would be difficult to keep out of the frame on that form but this can go to ESCARIA TEN, a winning point-to-pointer and hurdler, who made a very encouraging chasing debut behind the exciting Monkfish at Fairyhouse.
Black Samurai 250-1 (12-0) Always towards rear, mistake 2nd, never a factor, 10th of 11, dist behind Monkfish (12-0) at Fairyhouse 2m 5f sft in Nov.
Comporta 200-1 (12-0) Rear of mid-division, mistake 8th, no impression from 4 out, remote 9th entering straight, never a factor, 7th of 17, dist behind Captain Guinness (12-0) at Punchestown 2m hvy in Dec.
Escaria Ten (FR) 14-1 (12-0) Tracked leaders, slight mistake 4th, 4th and mistake 3 out, soon ridden, disputed 2nd briefly 2 out, soon no impression on leaders, moderate 5th at last, no extra, 5th of 11, 15 1/4l behind Monkfish (12-0) at Fairyhouse 2m 5f sft in Nov.
Face The Odds (IRE) 100-1 (12-0) Slight mistake 1st and pushed along briefly, soon mid-division, 7th at 5th, one pace from before 4 out, 5th of 12, 28 3/4l behind Conflated (12-0) at Navan 2m 4f sft in Dec.
Fakir (FR) 7-1 (12-0) Mid-division, mistake 2nd, not fluent 3rd, 6th halfway, ridden and no impression in moderate 5th 3 out, kept on one pace, 5th of 10, dist behind Energumene (12-0) at Gowran Park 2m 4f hvy in Nov.
Ministerforsport (IRE) 9-1 (11-2) Waited with in rear, closer in 5th from 6th, not fluent 9th and reminders, no extra from 5 out, soon pulled up, at Cork 2m 4f (1) sft in Nov.
Mormon (IRE) 16-1 (10-7) Waited with towards rear, 20th at 8th, slight mistake 10th, some headway but no impression and slight mistake 3 out, kept on without threatening after, 5th of 22, 25l behind The Jam Man (10-6) at Navan 3m hcp Soft - Heavy in Nov.
Nothinbuttime (IRE) 200-1 (11-7) In rear, unseated rider 2nd, at Navan 2m 4f sft in Dec.