led, pushed along and strongly pressed before 2 out, headed 2 out, ridden and no impression before last, kept on same pace
tracked leader in 2nd, bad mistake and pecked 3rd, dropped to 3rd 3 out, soon ridden and no impression, kept on one pace, lost 3rd close home
tracked leaders, 4th halfway, 3rd after 4 out and went 2nd next, soon challenged travelling well, led when not fluent 2 out, pushed out and kept on well, comfortably
held up in touch, 5th halfway, ridden and no impression in 5th before 3 out, kept on one pace
held up in touch, 6th halfway, ridden after 4 out, no extra
held up in touch towards rear, mistake 4th, 7th halfway, ridden and no extra before 3 out, tailed off
held up in touch towards rear, jumped left at times, dropped to rear halfway, detached when jumped left 4 out, weakened, completely tailed off
slowly away and in rear early, soon tracked leaders, 3rd halfway, pushed along in 4th before 3 out, ridden and no impression after 2 out, kept on one pace, 3rd close home
This looks a tricky. Sole Pretender, a course and distance winner, has been far from disgraced in plying his trade over fences since last summer and has an obvious shout if translating that level back hurdling. Last-time scorer FILS D'OUDAIRIES has been mixing hurdles and fences with a degree of success and scored neatly last time when accounting for Saint Sam, form which reads well, and he is taken to follow up. Cash Back has gone well on both hurdling starts this year and seems sure to be in the mix again but the market may prove the best guide to the lightly-raced French import Mister Policeman, not seen for over a year and now making his debut for Willie Mullins.
Cash Back (FR) 8-1 (11-12) Led and disputed, slight mistake 5th, led and 2-length advantage after 2 out, ridden last, headed last 50 yards, no extra close home, 3rd of 11, 2 1/2l behind Carnfunnock (10-2) at Naas 2m 3f hcp sft in Mar.
Fils D'oudairies (FR) 4-1 (11-2) Tracked leader in 2nd, closer 2 out, headway to lead approaching last, kept on well run-in, comfortably, won at Leopardstown 2m 2f Yielding in Mar beating Saint Sam (11-7) by 3 1/2l, 5 ran.
Mister Policeman (FR) (10-7) won at Fontainebleau 2m 2f hvy in Mar beating Mon Vieux (10-7) by 5l, 13 ran.
Cask Mate (IRE) 33-1 (9-7) Always towards rear, ridden on outer over 2f out, soon no extra, 13th of 14, 14 1/4l behind Golden Twilight (10-2) at Dundalk 1m 4f hcp pol in Oct.
Clarens (IRE) 11-1 (10-8) In touch, 4th after 5th, lost place after 3 out, one paced after 2 out, 8th of 16, 16 3/4l behind Celestial Horizon (10-11) at Killarney 2m 1f hcp gd in May.
Djingle (FR) 22-1 (11-10) Led, soon clear, slight mistake 7th, 8-length advantage halfway, reduced advantage 11th, headed next, soon weakened and pulled up before 5 out, at Tramore 2m 5f (1) sft in Jan.
Patience Patience (IRE) 125-1 (11-12) Rear of mid-division, some progress on outer after 3 out, ridden in 7th before last, no impression, 6th of 9, 22 1/2l behind Enniskerry (11-12) at Galway 2m 2f gd in Jul.
Sole Pretender (IRE) 7-2 (11-5) Prominent and led before 2nd, headed briefly 4th, headed after 3 out, pushed along after 2 out and no impression on winner in straight, no extra and dropped to 3rd close home, 3rd of 6, 13 1/4l behind Flame Bearer (11-1) at Thurles 2m 2f (1) sft in Mar.
