Ratings Update: Reaction to the weekend's key performances

Nicky Henderson has a fine record in Newbury's valuable handicap hurdle - which this year was sponsored by William Hill - and Joyeuse (134p from 120+) showed much-improved form to give her trainer a seventh success in the race.

Joyeuse, who like Henderson's two most recent winners Iberico Lord and My Tent Or Yours was carrying the colours of JP McManus, brought a relatively unexposed profile to the race after only three starts over hurdles. She had been runner-up to the prolific Wodhooh on her handicap debut over two and a half miles at Cheltenham in December but proved well suited by a strongly-run race back at two miles and advanced her form somewhere in the region of a stone as she stormed eight lengths clear.

She was starting from a relatively low base - no winner of the race this century has run off a lower BHA mark - but so impressive was her success it would be little surprise were mares' graded races on the agenda down the line. She won't qualify for the handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival as she is one shy of the required five starts over hurdles.

It wasn't a strong renewal of the Denman Chase - none of the seven runners had been entered in the Cheltenham Gold Cup - but there was an authoritative winner in Djelo (165 from 160). He had been disappointing when easily brushed aside by Protektorat in the Fleur de Lys Chase at Windsor last month but quickly bounced back to the sort of form he had shown when a decisive winner of the Peterborough Chase, perhaps putting up a slightly better display than at Huntingdon. He has won twice at Grade 2 level this season so has had a productive campaign, but the Ryanair Chase could be more competitive, and of higher quality, than the contests he has been tackling this term.

The Game Spirit Chase became much more open following the withdrawal of Sir Gino - who was subsequently ruled out for the season - and it produced an exciting finish with three of the five runners still holding a chance halfway up the run-in. It was Master Chewy (158 from 156) who came out on top, staying on to lead inside the final half-furlong to win by a length and a quarter. That was right up there with the pick of his efforts, but more improvement will be needed to make a telling impact when he steps up in trip for the Ryanair Chase.

Sir Gino's absence from the Arkle is a boost for the chance of L'Eau du Sud (156p from 154p) who extended his unbeaten start over fences with a smooth success in the Kingmaker Novices' Chase. He only won by a length after he was closed down late on, but he was value for a greater margin after impressing with how smoothly he travelled and how readily he skipped clear. He is rated 3 lb behind Irish Arkle winner Majborough (159p) who is now a strong favourite for the Arkle at Cheltenham.

Dinoblue (156 from 155) put a disappointing effort in the Paddy's Rewards Club Chase behind her to run out a determined winner of a listed race at Naas on Saturday, successful conceding 6 lb to smart stablemate Allegorie de Vassy. Only three went to post, and it was a duel up the straight, but a good timefigure adds some substance to the form which has been rated up there with the pick of Dinoblue's efforts. She is favourite for the Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase which she finished runner-up in last year. Only By Night (remains 142p) could also have that race on her agenda after extending her unbeaten start over fences in a listed race at Exeter on Sunday. She didn't need to improve on her previous form, though can perhaps have that effort upgraded a touch as she pressed on a long way out with her main market rival, Fun Fun Fun, who finished only fourth.

At Navan on Sunday, Better Days Ahead (151 from 150p) registered a narrow victory in the Grade 2 Ten Up Novice Chase, though Stellar Story (153+ from 134+) emerged best at the weights attempting to give away 5 lb. Last season's Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle winner Stellar Story had been tailed off in a race also contested by Better Days Ahead over Christmas but got back on the up at Navan, staying on strongly to miss out by only a neck. Timeform's reporter identified the Irish Grand National as a potentially suitable target.