SEAN’S GOOD THING

NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3 1 LAST GOODBYE 2 THE STORYTELLER 3 TULLY EAST LAST GOODBYE, who turned a competitive event at Leopardstown last time into a one-horse race, gets the vote in a real headscratcher.

There wasn’t much to write home about in my selection’s reappearance in the Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan in November as he came home a well-beaten 12th of 15.

But, fitted with a tongue strap and blinkers, Liz Doyle’s seven-year-old took a huge step forward in a similar event at Leopardstown in February.

He stormed clear on the run-in under Adam Short, who makes way for Sean Flanagan today, to win by nine lengths.

Last Goodbye has a hefty rise in the weights to deal with but he ran well without much luck when fifth in the novices’ handicap chase here last year and should be in the shake-up.

The long list of threats

The Storyteller, includes Tully East, Ballyalton and Mercian Prince.