- A weight trend is dominant here; no winner since 2000 has carried more than 10-11 to victory before jockeys’ claims were taken into account. In the same timeframe, no horse with more than 10-13 made the first three.
- Official ratings are available for this race since 1997 and no horse has won off a mark higher than 133.
- Track specialist Bob Treacy won this as a 12yo in 2001 but the general tendency since the millennium has been towards the younger horses; seven-, eight- and nine-year-olds have won every other renewal since 2000. 8yos lead the way with 4 of the last 9 winners as well as 7 placed horses in the same period.
- A recent run is a must – all of the last 10 winners had run in the previous month. Where they finished seems not so important with one winning, three placing, three finishing unplaced, two being pulled up and another falling.
- As so often, respect unexposed horses: 9 of the last 11 winners had no more than 5 outings in handicap chases.
- In a similar pattern, concentrate on novices and second-season chasers. 9 of the last 11 winners were in their first or second season over fences with one of the exceptions being Dun Doire who was a third-season chaser in name only.
- Preists Leap looked suspiciously like a freak winner as a 20/1 shot last term; certainly he had nothing like the proven stamina of the previous winners. With the 10 winners prior to him all having won over at least 3 miles (7 had won over further), we can reasonably expect staying power to come to the fore again.
- Only Willie Mullins has won this race more than once in recent times with 3 winners since 2000. He’s also had a pair of runners-up and a third and given his current form it would be no surprise to see his runners involved again.
- Course form around Gowran Park should not be underestimated – 7 of the last 10 winners had made the frame at the track already.
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