No pace on here to halfway, so there are obvious question marks over the value of the form of what should have been an informative race.

However there was much to admire about the way ROLL ALONG, facing easily his stiffest task to date after wins at Fontwell and Fakenham, came from off the pace to complete his hat-trick. He looks a horse with a future, but trainer Mark Pitman is reluctant to commit the six-year-old, whom he reports as highly-strung, to the Cheltenham bumper and may prefer some easier options for him.

Spartacus Bay, who had shown a liking for soft ground when winning at Aintree in October, was a bit keen in the middle part of the race but turned in an excellent effort, while Round The Horn's connections will also be delighted with his third on his first outing in a year. The latter is bred to be a stayer, so the modest pace would not have played to his strengths, but on this evidence he should soon be winning again.

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