This all-hunter chase card offers something for all types, including a contest over four miles, and, in the case of this opening event, one over the minimum trip.

There are just three hunter chases in the calendar over such a distance and the field always includes horses that come here after tackling three-mile points without success.

In plenty of cases it's not only lack of stamina, but also inability that has prevented their winning, although it seems there's a demand for such contests.

Finding horses with form over this trip is the obvious guide for punters, and since Only Dreams won a 2m hunter chase at Leicester in March he was the obvious place to start, but he walked through the seventh and gave rider Oliver Greenall no chance of staying in the saddle.

The winner, DE LUAIN GORM, won a hunter chase at Newton Abbot last month and was subsequently second at Hereford over 2m3f, so he had shown his aptitude for a sub-3m trip and these sort of fences. He made all and won comfortably, and since he handles quick races, a similar Stratford contest must be on the agenda. He won't run again in points, said owner Mary Trueman.

Highland Vasco finished best of all, looking as if a longer trip would have suited.

Talikos chased the leader for the first half of the race, but the effort told, while Viscount Bankes, the most successful horse in the race, has been winning at trips around 2m4f and, conceding weight all round, he could not quicken up to the leader.

Silver Dollars and Spud One looked likely contenders on the form book, but failed to make a mark.

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