Sir Gerhard certainly set the Boulta fixture that he made his debut at alight with his very impressive wide-margin success. An expensive purchase as a three-year-old, having come from the store sales with a price tag of €72,000, he very much lived up to that price by making much of the steady pace. Despite being outjumped at the third-last, his superior speed immediately allowed him to recoup any lost ground, and by the home bend, as Derek O’Connor sat motionless aboard the son of Jeremy, all his trailing rivals were under pressure. Their fates were soon sealed, as Sir Gerhard simply breezed further and further clear up the home straight, without having had to be asked a notable question, returning on the bridle to win by 12 lengths over John Nallen’s Minella Drama, with Small Bad Bob, who had held a four-length advantage when coming down at the last in Lismore on his debut, back in third.