Gentleman Duke, in second, hunts down Crown Theatre on the run-in© Photo Healy Racing
Gentleman Duke took the Grade B handicap chase for the second year in a row for Arthur Moore.
The recently-retired David Casey was on board last year with Barry Geraghty sporting the silks of his boss JP McManus this time around.
The seven-year-old gelding looked booked for second when Henry De Bromhead's Crown Theatre jumped into the lead two out and moved clear at the last.
However, he tied up on the run-in and Gentleman Duke got a sniff of victory as he stayed on stoutly to get up and win by half a length from the 13/2 favourite. De Bromhead's Tisamystery came in third at 7/1. He was two and a half lengths off the battle for first place.
Arthur Moore said: "It's nice to win the race again this year and he had the perfect prep at Listowel last month. We focused on this for a few months, he runs really well fresh and was bouncing in the parade ring today.
"Barry gave him a super ride and he wants very inch of the two miles and loves this track. He'll run away until the ground goes."
Regarding beating Henry De Bromhead, who took second with Beckwith Star last year and second with Crown Theatre and third with Tisamystery today, Moore quipped "we beat Henry a nose (in a tight photo-finish) last year so we weren't too hard on him this year (beating him a half length)!"
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
