led and attempted to make all, slight mistakes at 6th and 7th, driven along from 2 out, nodded slightly on landing at last, strongly pressed and kept on well under pressure run-in, headed final strides
tracked leaders in 3rd, 4th 3 out, no extra in moderate 5th after next, kept on under pressure run-in
tracked leader in 2nd, ridden and dropped to 3rd entering straight, no impression from before last, kept on one pace
chased leaders, 4th halfway, no extra in moderate 6th before 2 out
towards rear, 6th halfway, steady headway on inner to go 3rd 2 out, pushed along into 2nd entering straight, hard ridden from before last, challenged run-in and kept on well under pressure to lead final strides
always towards rear, no extra from 2 out
settled in 5th, bad mistake 4 out, soon recovered and went 3rd before next, ridden and no extra approaching straight
If LUSKA LAD repeats his performance from Wednesday when just over two lengths behind Hurricane Fly and a short-head away from finishing in front of Solwhit in the Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown then there can only be one winner. That was the best run of his career and the handicapper will put him up a few pounds from today's mark. The bottom four are all out of the handicap and though Hoopy is only 1lb wrong he will probably find the ground too testing as he did behind The Shepherd at Leopardstown on Wednesday. Lucky At Last has been chasing but is no slouch over timber and is just 5lb higher than when successful at Cork last November. Another chaser, Killyglen, ran a cracking race over hurdles at Thurles in October when giving supporters of the long odds-on Silverhand a fright and looks the main threat to the selection.
Luska Lad (IRE) 20-1 (11-10) Led, ridden and strongly pressed from 2 out, headed last, kept on same pace under pressure, 3rd of 5, 2 3/4l behind Hurricane Fly (11-10) at Leopardstown 2m hdl G1 (1) hvy.
Lucky At Last (IRE) 10-1 (11-5) Raced in 2nd, dropped to 4th 4 out, ridden next, 3rd and kept on under pressure from 2 out, 3rd of 5, 6l behind Psycho (11-10) at Naas 2m 3f chs sft in Nov.
Killyglen (IRE) 16-1 (11-10) Led, disputed from 9th, ridden and headed before 4 out, soon weakened, 5th of 7, well behind Kauto Star (11-10) at Down Royal 3m chs G1 (1) sft in Nov.
Cane Brake (IRE) 25-1 (11-10) Prominent, 3rd to halfway, weakened before 6 out, pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by What A Friend (11-10) at Leopardstown 3m Grade 1 chs (1) in Dec '09, 11 ran.
Four Chimneys (IRE) 14-1 (11-8) Chased leaders, 5th halfway, improved to 2nd 5 out, ridden in 4th 3 out, no extra approaching 2 out, weakened, 9th of 12, 23l behind Bale O'shea (10-10) at Navan 2m 4f hcp hdl 8Evens23 sft.
Hoopy (IRE) 20-1 (9-11) Always behind, last of 24, well behind The Shepherd (10-9) at Leopardstown 3m hcp hdl 0-140 hvy.
Turner Brown (IRE) 16-1 (11-6) Chased leaders, fell independently 4 out, in a race won by Aegean Dawn (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gs in Nov, 23 ran.
Mubrook (USA) 7-1 (11-1) Mid-division, 11th before 2 out, 6th before last, stayed on, 4th of 25, 9l behind Dolphin Bay (11-2) at Naas 2m hcp hdl 8Evens23 sft in Nov.
Paco Jack (IRE) 14-1 (10-13) Held up, ridden into 5th 3 out, no extra in 7th 2 out, kept on one pace, 6th of 12, 21l behind Bale O'shea (10-10) at Navan 2m 4f hcp hdl 8Evens23 sft.
