See also » Falcon completes a treble for Flanagan & Meade
It has always been a lucky enough meeting for me since its first inception really. It has always been good to us. He's a lovely horse and he's a very genuine horse that has been there or thereabouts. He won the Kerry National and deserved to win a race like that. We learned a few things about him and he's better when he doesn't run too often and when there is a bit of a dig in the ground. He'll be entered in the big race at Christmas and he'll be entered in the King George and all those races because he does stay three miles. He's entered in the race at Newbury which is now the Ladbroke Trophy and was the Hennessy - he will probably end up with too much weight in it. If the likes of Coneygree or something like that was in it then it might be a possibility. I wouldn't be keen to go over there to carry top weight. We'll give him all the time he needs. He's a bit lazy when he gets to the front. He is a good horse - he was just touched off in a Liverpool Hurdle and was going real well in a Grade Two in Newbury a couple of years ago and fell at the second-last. Noel Meade, trainer

A steeplechase for four yrs old and upwards that have not won a steeplechase before 30th April, 2017
Weights - 4-y-o 10st 11lb; 5-y-o and up 11st 5lb; Mares allowed 7lb
Allowances - Horses that have not won a steeplechase before 1st February, 2018 allowed 4lb
Penalties - (handicaps excluded) Winner of three steeplechases or a Grade 3 steeplechase 3lb extra; Of two Grade 3 steeplechases or a Grade 2 steeplechase 5lb extra; Of a Grade 1 steeplechase 7lb extra