AINTREE 15:25

Non Runners: DASHEL DRASHER. Fences: 16. Race Distance Adjustment: +20 yds

Time: 5m 4s Closing Sectional: (3.15f): 48.5s (98.7%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 109%, Betfair SP 101%

One of those Aintree showpiece events that didn't suffer from any sort of Cheltenham hangover, given more than half the field eschewed last month all together and one of those that did turn out again proved a class apart to hand the Irish yet another Grade 1 on these shores this spring; Master Tommytucker ensured a true gallop for all he wasn't taken on, yet it still got messy in the straight as the others fought for position in the winner's wake.

FAKIR D'OUDAIRIES (FR) has ended his season on a high and probably delivered another personal best as he went one better than in the Ryanair for all this was clearly a lesser Grade 1, finally getting off the mark for the season and paying some compliment to the unrelenting powerhouse Allaho, whose position as Timeform's highest-rated jumper in training can only have been strengthened in the aftermath; close up early before settling into a clear third, he largely jumped very quickly and settled matters in little time once asked after being held together initially on bursting to the front soon after 3 out, clearly firmly at home under these sort of conditions despite a wealth of form on soft/heavy; if it wasn't certain at the start of the season, it's obvious now that 2½m is his optimum trip, and it's possible the door in the division will be opened more clearly next season if Allaho was to take a Champion Chase route instead.

NUTS WELL picked up right where he'd left off in the Old Roan (when seeing off improving Clondaw Castle as well as Itchy Feet), presumably saved for this since and returning from his break right on song once more, no match for the wide-margin winner but still showing he is indeed a credible force near the top level for all such a suggestion at the start of his yard's remarkable campaign would have been far fetched in the extreme; he might well have finished a clearer second, too, without trouble as the race was developing soon after 3 out, squeezed out and forced to switch as he was making his move but sticking at it even after hitting the second last.

ITCHY FEET (FR) benefited as expected from the drop back in trip after 7 weeks off, seeing things out better and, what's more, keeping mistakes to a minimum returned straight to chasing, narrowing the gap a little to Nuts Well from the Old Roan here; held up, he seemed to hang right in the back straight but was back on an even keel by the time he was shaken up after 3 out, sustaining his run into third crossing the last.

POLITOLOGUE (FR) had seen his Champion Chase defence ended before it had begun thanks to a bleed at the eleventh hour and, worryingly, the same issue manifested itself in the race itself here in his bid to regain his Melling crown, seeing him go from looking set to finish second as close to home as 2 out to wilting out of the placings; his days at the top level are probably numbered, especially with Shishkin, stablemate Hitman and possibly Allaho set to strengthen the division considerably next season.

DUC DES GENIEVRES (FR) extended a losing run dating back to the 2019 Arkle, his season going to little since having his pocket picked by Put The Kettle On in a gruelling Shloer on his return; waited with, shaken up after 4 out, some headway 2 out, effort proved short-lived.

MASTER TOMMYTUCKER is nothing if not a gripping watch, reverting to type with a roller-coaster display that showed he's anything but a reformed character, forcing the pace, stumbling on landing and very nearly unseating at the fourth, clouting the tenth and headed soon after another untidy leap 3 out, hanging left and folding then.

NOTEBOOK (GER) continues to disappoint on these shores, ridden even more patiently and not responding at all when shaken up after 4 out.