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He was very good.  I didn't think he deserved to be 20/1 even though he'd only had the one run over fences and hadn't won,. On ratings he hadn't a lot to find accept against A Toi Phil.  He deserved his place in it.  . We had to go that way or the beginners and decided that because he wanted a better pace in the beginners at Punchestown why not come here to the smaller field.  He can always go back for a beginners.  Luckily we came out on top. He travelled and jumped great.  He won like a proper horse and I hope he is a proper horse for me, and for JP, but mainly for me!. If he comes out of it well we'll look at Christmas which is only three weeks.  Either that or leave him off to the good novice in Leopardstown (PJ Moriarty). It would be the three-mile race at Christmas.  We'll see how he comes out of it. He has a lot of toe.  He won well in his maiden over two last Christmas.  We decided to take a chance upping for the novice handicap here over three and he revelled in it. He ran a blinder and you might have said he was a touch unlucky in the Grade One at Punchestown. We had a Grade One horse so treated him as such and he proved it today. It was obvious that Barry (Geraghty) would ride Anibale Fly today as he's won.  I can't blame Barry for that even though he loves this horse and he was one of his horses to look forward to for the year. Edward P Harty, trainer

A novice steeplechase for four yrs old and upwards
Weights - 4-y-o 11st 2lb; 5-y-o and up 11st 10lb; Mares allowed 7lb