7.00 2m. 4f. 24 Declared. Guinness H'cap S'chase (Grade A) of €80,000.00 5-y-o plus
1st - €48,000.00 2nd - €16,000.00 3rd - €8,000.00 4th - €4,000.00 5th - €2,400.00 6th - €1,600.00
FormscanBy Tom Weekes - Lightly-raced ROYAL RENDEZVOUS might win. ROYAL RENDEZVOUS is smart and while absent since finishing second in July's Galway Plate, this will have been on his radar for some weeks and today's jockey rode a Cheltenham winner for the yard in March. ROYAL RENDEZVOUS bumped into a nicely handicapped winner in Galway and being unexposed, can win from his rating over an ideal trip and surface. Stablemate Livelovelaugh was a good winner of Aintree's Topham and while raised just 4lbs from his UK rating, was nonetheless beaten from ratings in the 130s in Ireland this season and was sixth in the aforementioned Galway Plate. Ten Ten is in excellent form but might ideally prefer an ease while Midnight Maestro has found his form this winter but competes from a career high mark, having beaten today's lightly weighted rival Tiger Voice at Limerick. Black Op, runner-up in the 2018 Ballymore Novices Hurdle, was a Grade 1-placed novice chaser and drops down in class from the King George and Gold Cup on recent starts. Embittered was a halfway faller at Cheltenham and while he showed good form when third in the 2020 County Hurdle, has yet to race at this trip (since point-to-pointing). Snow Falcon is an admirable type but might struggle here from his rating, aged 11. %0A
An extended handicap steeplechase for five years old and upwards that have run at least three times in steeplechases up to and including 18th April 2021Weights - Top weight in the original handicap and after the time of declaration shall not be less than 11st 10lbs and the minimum weight shall not be less than 9st 12lbsPenalties - Winner of a steeplechase or steeplechases after calculation of the handicap shall carry any penalty or penalties which may be allotted by the Handicapper.