1st - €25,675.00 2nd - €7,900.00 3rd - €3,950.00 4th - €1,580.00 Fine

FormscanBy Alan Magee - Question marks about a number of these with Alelchi Inois possibly unsuited by the testing ground and Chancol jumping out left throughout when successful over course and distance last month. In the circumstances it may pay to side with SIZING GRANITE. The Milan gelding could hardly have got his chasing career off to a better start when jumping well to lower the colours of Lieutenant Colonel at Naas a fortnight ago. Henry de Bromhead believed that hurdling was just a step on the way to a chasing career, and he looks to have an exciting future over fences. Alelchi Inois has also taken to fences really well completing a five-timer with Grade 3 wins at Galway and in the Buck House Novice Chase here last month. However the champion trainer has expressed concerns about testing ground for the French-bred, and the recent deluge is certainly not in his favour. Noel Meade was very surprised that Chancol continually jumped left when scoring here as he’d shown no tendency to do that at home. I’d prefer to see him jump straight here first and, in any case, this looks a much stiffer task. Azorian was far from disgraced when third to The Tullow Tank and Mala Beach in a hot Fairyhouse event. This was much more like it from a gelding that promised much over hurdles last term but was ultimately disappointing.

A novice steeplechase for four yrs old and upwards
Weights - 4-y-o 10st 6lb; 5-y-o and up 11st 4lb; Mares allowed 7lb
Penalties - Winner of three steeplechases or of a Grade 3 steeplechase 3lb extra; Of two Grade 3 steeplechases or a Grade 2 steeplechase 6lb extra; Of a Grade 1 steeplechase 8lb extra; HRI Directive 6 (ii) (b) is suspended for the purpose of this race.