1st - €7,965.00 2nd - €2,700.00 3rd - €1,350.00 4th - €675.00 5th - €405.00 6th - €270.00 Showery

FormscanBy Donal Murphy - PENCILFULLOFLEAD should be able to take this. An impressive winner of a bumper at Down Royal in November, he was subsequently sold by Simon McGonagle to current owners Robcour. He since finished fourth in a Listed bumper at Navan and was second to leading Cheltenham hope Asterion Forlonge on his debut over flights at Naas. The son of Shantou steps up in trip now to two mile six, but this should play to his strengths with his trainer Gordon Elliott saying after his Down Royal success: "He is bred to stay." Et Dite doesn't appear to be one of the leading lights at Closutton and while she has decent form to her name, she is worth taking on. Her stable mate Vent D'automne has had just one run since winning a bumper at Ballinrobe in May of 2018 and he is best watched. Osmotic, who is a half-brother to Faugheen, disappointed on his debut over flights but was found to blowing hard post race. The Roscommon bumper winner is capable of much better and an improved performance can be expected from him now. Newcomer Home Hunter is a half-brother to Great Endeavour and Daklondike and it'll be interesting to see how he fares.

A hurdle for four years old and upwards, maidens at starting
Weights - 4-y-o 10st 11lbs; 5-y-o 11st 10lbs; 6-y-o and up 11st 12lbs; Mares allowed 7lbs;