PUNCHESTOWN 14:25 4e496y

Non Runners: BLUE LORD (FR). Fences: 15.

Time: 5m 3.9s Closing Sectional: (3.45f): 50.2s (106.1%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 113%, Betfair SP 101.8%

All were returning from absences but rarely can a race have fanned the flames of positivity in of the potential depth in a division as this year's John Durkan, as a pair of last season's leading novices lowered the colours of the reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup winner with another leading member of the staying scene completing the breakaway quartet - there might not be a Kauto Star or quite a Denman among them, but the number of top-class stayers on the whole looks likely to outstrip even that golden era.

FACT TO FILE (FR) struck the first blow for last season's rare bunch of staying novices as he picked up and more where he'd left off landing the odds in the Broadway, showing speed to go with his proven stamina as, having pushed his way up Fastorslow's inner on the home bend, he burst to the front at the last and then picked up as required to fend off the fellow dual Grade-1 winning novice in second, hard to draw up a more positive start to a first season in open company; Galopin des Champs has been formidable at Leopardstown but Fact To File promises to give him more of a scare than others have managed should they meet there over Christmas.

SPILLANE'S TOWER (IRE) highlighted just how far he's come since starting his chasing career with successive defeats at a similar stage of last season, finishing that campaign with back-to-back novice successes at the top level and almost adding one in open company at the first attempt; patiently ridden, he rather conceded first run to the principals approaching the straight, but he'd quickened well to press the leader by the time they'd landed over the last and had his chance from there, held close home; he's not at all short of speed, something he highlighted here, but it's hard to ignore the fact he signed off the spring making his first start at 3m a winning one.

GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (FR) is still the standard-setter in the division following back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cups, having started last season with defeat in this and ended it with another Punchestown loss to boot, though there's a batch of strong newer blood from the last novice crop to contend with this time around and matching Best Mate's exploits will likely require his best Cheltenham performance yet; he'll still be the one to beat back at Leopardstown before then, however, with this encouraging comeback under his belt, ridden to make use of his stamina at a trip short of his best but unable to shake off the chasing pair of second-season rivals and failing to quicken once pegged back on landing at the last.

FASTORSLOW (FR) met with his first Punchestown defeat since initially establishing himself as a top-class chaser by notching his opening verdict over Galopin des Champs in the Gold Cup here in April 2023, possibly needing the run a little more than he had last season but also faced with a deeper field that included some new faces; he had every chance the way the race went, moving up to chase his old rival before the straight only to prove one paced between last 2.

MINELLA COCOONER (IRE) is a very smart chaser, so it says it all about the quality in this field that he was sent off the rank outsider; soon steadied, took closer order seventh, shuffled back again twelfth, no threat from 3 out.

JOURNEY WITH ME (IRE) probably needed the run after 7 months off, though his limitations at this level have long been established; in touch out wide, lost ground tenth, beaten when slow 3 out.

INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN (IRE) remains a potentially top-class chaser, easy to back returning at a trip well short of his best and, retried in a tongue strap, probably here for something of a pipe-opener; raced off the pace, clouted sixth, left behind from 3 out.

GRANGECLARE WEST (IRE) has a fragile air and left the impression all might not have been well 11 months on from making it 2-2 over fences; led until soon after sixth, remained prominent until 5 out, lost place when jumped left next, soon beaten.