1st - €15,275.00 2nd - €4,700.00 3rd - €2,350.00 4th - €940.00 Overcast

FormscanBy Alan Magee - ARANHILL CHIEF won twice over this course and distance on consecutive days at the Festival meeting this summer, and can put his course experience to good use. His trainer believes a crack at next year’s Galway Plate is a realistic target, and surely a prominent showing is needed here off a mark of 118 to justify that belief. Protaras boasts the best piece of recent form, and it was probably close to a career high when beaten less than three lengths in the Munster National at Limerick a fortnight ago. Ger Fox maintains the partnership, and his 5lb claim leaves the seven-year-old on an attractive mark. Black Benny, a bumper winner at this venue, ran into a well-handicapped rival when runner-up to King Vuvuzela at Punchestown last year. He made a pleasing reappearance on his first outing since on the flat at Roscommon last month.

An extended handicap steeplechase for four yrs old and upwards (140 = 11st 10lb)
Penalties - Winner of a steeplechase after calculation of the handicap to carry 4lb extra for each such steeplechase won. Any horse rated above 140 shall initially be treated as having that rating and the highest weight allotted shall be 11st 10lb. Subsequently, the excess over 140 in any rating shall be added to the weight allotted to that horse. (For the purpose of this note, any four or five year old rated above 140 shall have the applicable weight for age allowance then prevailing deducted from the horse's rating prior to the original calculation of the handicap)