tracked leaders, went 2nd 4th until slow 13th, stayed handy, ridden before 3 out, 4th and weakening next
jumped well, made all, clear before last, stayed on strongly
not always fluent on first circuit, held up, closed from 10th, went 2nd after 3 out, ridden approaching last, soon beaten
tracked leader until not fluent 4th, not fluent 7th, last before 12th, closed 13th, close up when slow 4 out, ridden before 3 out, 3rd and weakening after 2 out
ALPHA DES OBEAUX was conceding last week’s Ladbrokes Trophy winner Total Recall 16lb when second in the Munster National at Limerick in October. He was far from disgraced in the Jnwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal next time before beating A Toi Phil in this grade at Clonmel and Mouse Morris has him back to his best. Definitly Red was third in the Charlie Hall on his reappearance but was beaten a long way, though will enjoy today’s ground. Flying Angel beat Cloudy Dream in a Grade 1 novices’ event over 2m4f here in April but was then pulled up behind his old rival at Ayr and neither of that pair are proven over this longer trip.
Alpha Des Obeaux (FR) 7-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, headway to lead before 3 out, slight mistake 2 out, pushed along and 2 lengths clear last, ridden and stayed on well run-in, won at Clonmel 2m 5f (1) Soft - Heavy in Nov beating A Toi Phil (11-6) by 5 1/2l, 6 ran.
Definitly Red (IRE) 8-1 (11-4) Chased leaders, not fluent and lost place 6th, closed after 10th, mistake and slightly hampered 15th, held in 3rd 3 out, weakened next, 3rd of 8, 23 1/2l behind Bristol De Mai (11-6) at Wetherby 3m (1) sft in Nov.
Cloudy Dream (IRE) 9-4 (11-3) Held up mainly in 4th, headway to track leaders 3 out, outpaced before before next, ridden and stayed on to take narrow 2nd near finish, no chance with winner, 2nd of 5, 8l behind Fox Norton (11-6) at Cheltenham 2m (1) sft in Nov.
Flying Angel (IRE) 7-1 (11-4) Chased leader until 7th, chased leaders, outpaced 3 out, went modest 4th before the last, 4th of 9, 12l behind Top Notch (11-4) at Ascot 2m 5f (1) gs in Nov.
