The Ladbrokes Midlands National went to the Michael Cunningham Piano Star ridden Paddy Flood in the colours of John Kelly.

Piano Star who survived a Stewards Enquiry battled it out with Dow Jones ridden by Ruby Walsh but under a vigourous ride by Flood kept on to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

Michael Cunningham said afterwards, ´we are delighted with that, i´ve only had him two or three months, we ran him in a few hurdle races to get him right for today. He fell at the last in this race last year. He is out of the handicap for the Galway Plate so this should help him now. The plan was always for today and he needs the good ground.´