Exit Poll

Exit Poll put up another game performance in landing the Grade 3 Kilbegnet Novice Chase at Roscommon last Monday.

Sent to the front from flagfall by Sean O’Keeffe, his jumping was very good in the main and, when he wasn’t meeting a fence on a stride, he was able to go in tight and pop efficiently. He was challenged by Bold Enough at the third last fence and, after seeing off that rival after the second last fence, he was challenged by Embittered at the last. The Gigginstown House horse actually picked up just in front at the last, but Exit Poll fought back gamely, wrested the lead back half way up the run-in and surged forward to win by a neck.

It was a fine performance by Jessica Harrington’s horse, who clocked a good time, just 0.03secs/furlong slower than Racing Post par, over a trip that is probably short of his best. He stayed two and a half miles well when he won at Kilbeggan on his previous run, and he jumps more like a horse who will be better over longer trips than like a specialist two-miler. He was a talented chaser last season, he won his beginners’ chase at Leopardstown last March, admittedly a contest that was rendered not as strong as it would otherwise have been by the departures of Breaken and Soviet Pimpernel, and he made nice progress in novice chases and handicap chases through the summer. The handicapper raised him by just 3lb for Monday’s win to a mark of 142, and that is a mark that could still under-rate him. He will be of interest in good handicap chases off that mark, ideally stepped up to two and a half miles, and he will also be of interest in listed or graded chases over the intermediate trip.
Roscommon, 27^th September 2021