Gungadu made all, blundered badly 14th, clear from 16th, jumped left 2 out, stayed on strongly

Wee Robbie took keen hold, chased leaders, went 2nd 14th, ridden after 3 out, kept on same pace

Jaunty Times tracked leaders, pushed along 15th, hit next, soon ridden, kept on from 2 out

According To John held up in touch, mistake 10th, headway 14th, chased leading pair and hit 3 out, no impression after

Over The Creek held up in touch, ridden and outpaced 16th, no chance before 2 out

Imperial Sun chased winner until mistake 14th, ridden next, weakened 17th, eased before 2 out

In Accord not fluent, always last, lost touch 13th, tailed off

One of the leading novice chases in the calendar, restored to its home after slumming it at Lingfield recently. It has a mixed history, but with some classy scorers in Beau, Bacchanal, Keen Leader and Our Vic.

While there was a lack of strength in depth to this running, GUNGADU left the strong impression that he will uphold this Grade 2 form in time as he is still far from the finished article physically at the age of seven. Detractors will point to an uncontested lead and a Kauto Star-like blunder at the replacement fence for what used to be the water to add to his list of races where he throws in a fence-busting leap. Ruby Walsh blamed the BBC mobile camera on the service-road as a distraction. Perhaps more worrying was that Gungadu, having hung right at Cheltenham last October, showed a tendency to go left here, which got more pronounced under pressure in the home straight.

The winner heads back to Cheltenham for the 4m NH Chase for amateur riders and will be many punters idea of one of the meeting's bankers. He will be particularly short for a horse who makes mistakes and has stamina to prove. His chasing form still has to be franked, which is no fault of his own, and with Wee Robbie getting closer than at Newbury last time, this form is open to question even though Gungadu overcame a 6lb penalty.

Wee Robbie, who was doing plenty early racing on the outside of the pack at the modest pace, was the only one to put any pressure on Gungadu in the last mile, and considering he had been so enthusiastic and fresh early, he showed a good attitude in keeping up the gallop to suggest he is finally finding his feet over fences.

According To John could never land a blow but was plugging on to suggest he could have done with a stronger pace. He had been similarly routed in the Feltham last time and again his future is going to depend how the handicapper assesses him.

Over The Creek blundered at a vital stage inside the lastmile in the tricky run of fences out of Swinley Bottom. He took time to recover and was not given a hard time from the home turn, but this good staying hurdler has got off on the wrong foot over fences with his debut fall and did not look that confident here. He could be more suited by better ground in the spring.

Imperial Sun jumped up behind the blundering Gungadu but was gone in a matter of strides a fence later, which was a disappointing effort, although he too had plenty to prove at this level.

In Accord ran inexplicably badly as he was detached soon after halfway and trailed round. (BJ)

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