Leo O'Brien H.

Chart notes

MCTIGUE (IRE) saved ground reserved near the rear of the field in pursuit from afar as the leader spurted away, jumped well to maintain his position among the main flight behind the top pair, cleared cleanly through to the final flight and came under urging midway on the last turn while in the flat, rallied in concert with ROCKET ONE and overthrew the leader in tandem a furlong out, dug in engaged with ROCKET ONE through the final furlong seizing command a sixteenth out, then edged clear late to score. ROCKET ONE a bit washy, settled unhurried tracking the front from just off the inside in mid pack, jumped well to maintain pace among rivals in the main flight, came under urging after clearing the final fence and made headway three wide through the far and final turn, engaged the once well clear leader getting first jump on that rival and overhauling TAKE YOUR SEATS a furlong out, dug in under immediate threat to the outside, got caught a sixteenth from home and ran on with good energy willingly through to the finish. ST JAMES THE GREAT tracked the pace along the inside jumping well to lead the main flight in behind two spurting away rivals, came under urging once clear of the final flight and offered up a bid coming to the furlong grounds, then couldn't match the top pair late while keeping on to secure the show honors. TAKE YOUR SEATS (IRE) established the front from the get go and showed the way along the inside spurting away to a commanding and then a nearly insurmountable looking lead, showed the way jumping well to maintain his advantage until jumping early at fence five when making more contact with the fence then intended, continued along well clear of the rest and jumped late at fence eight bobbling over that flight but holding steady, the rider showing good strength to stay on board, continued along the inside through the final turn and began to weaken, drifted out under a drive nearing the eighth pole under growing threat from the field, got overhauled a furlong from home, then weakened through to the finish. SWEET WILL (IRE) settled just off the inside at the tail of the field in pursuit from afar in contact with the main flight, jumped well to maintain his position and keep contact with the rear, came under urging after the final fence and passed a pair of tired rivals through the final turn and in the flat. FIL DOR (FR) tracked the spurting away leader in closest aim while isolated between that loose on the lead rival and the main flight in behind, saved ground throughout jumping well to maintain that lone position through to fence eight when the main body of the field caught up, raced just off the inside through the final turn and into upper stretch and tired. MERRY MAKER (IRE) saved ground in pursuit from mid pack jumping well until nearing the final flight, jumped late and bobbled heavily over that fence nearly tossing the rider from the saddle save for that rider's adept agility to maintain balance and remain onboard, got eased up through the final turn in the flat with too much to do and was eased home to the finish well behind the field, distanced, then walked off under his own power.