A very high-class performance from both horse and rider as SCOTSIRISH defied top weight in some style. They just went a nice even pace in this race most of the way, but Ruby Walsh gave a terrific exhibition of race-riding on this horse as he held himup well out the back with no pressure being put on his occasionally dodgy jumping. He crept into the race very gradually, going in pursuit of the runner-up after the third-last on the bridle and powering clear to win in the style of a good horse. His trainer isn't shy in his opinion that this is horse is of genuine Graded class, and those sort of races are what he'll be aimed at next season. He'll probably stay further.

Runner-up Double Dizzy, whose dam won at this festival a decade or so ago for these connections, lost nothing in defeat. On this evidence, he's a tough and honest galloper. Handy most of the way, he jumped to the front four out and attempted to go and win his race from there and was probably a shade unlucky to come across a horse of the quality of the winner to beat him.

Ambobo ran a very decent race, as it looked as though he may have left it behind in the preliminaries. He got very warm beforehand, but it didn't have a detrimental effect, as having been held up early he gradually worked his way into contention and was bang there four out, but like everything bar the winner he was unable to respond when the runner-up went for his race. He kept on better than most from the top of the straight without being a danger to the first two.

A career-best effort over fences was produced by Classic Croco. He's not the tidiest of jumpers, indeed he made one very bad mistake on the final circuit, but he kept going and stayed on from a long way back inside the last half-mile or soto be nearest at the finish. There's no way of knowing when he'll reproduce this effort, but at least it’s known what he might be capable of.

A winner here on Wednesday, this might have come a little bit too quickly for Notable D'Estruval. Held up early, he made some progress but wasn't close enough when the race changed at the fourth last but did manage to keep on quite well.

Classic Fiddle didn't enjoy the way the race was run as she took a very keen hold in the front rank for the first half of the race before struggling to go the pace on the final circuit and dropping behind. He eventually stayed on at one pace.

Favourite Burren Ben was ridden with his usual restraint and began to close before the fourth-last but began to struggle somewhat when the pace increased, while Cool Running was held up but made progress early on the final circuit and appeared to be travelling very well five from the finish before quickly being found out.

Some ofthe more disappointing displays came from Badgerlaw, pulled up before the tenth fence and Le Toscan, who was handy most of the way but was being pushed along from the fifth-last and soon lost touch. He was pulled up before the final fence. [JO'H]

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