ASCOT 16:10

All 12 ran. Fences: 20.

Time: 5m 57.9s

Overrounds: Industry SP 118%, Betfair SP 102.7%

A standard race of its type and a strongly-run one too, thanks to Pickamus and Fine Parchment haring off together, the result looking a fair reflection of the field otherwise with the exception of Coole River, who was much better than the bare result.

HEY BIG SPENDER (IRE) returned to form from out of blue, the step away from open handicaps and a more conventional course both likely factors in his revival, hard to fault his record the 3 times he's tackled veterans' company; tracked pace, shaken up 4 out, kept on well from 2 out, edged ahead run-in, driven out; on balance, he'll be one to take on next time.

TIME FOR RUPERT (IRE) duly found this much easier than the open handicap he'd tackled at Cheltenham and wasted no time getting back to the sort of form he'd shown when second in another of these at Doncaster the time before, taking well to a first-time visor; chased leaders, jumped well in main, went with zest, challenged fourteenth, went on soon after, collared well inside final 1f, kept on; this looks his level nowadays, still a useful chaser.

FREDO (IRE) is going through a good spell at the moment, though he did rather revert to type of flattering to deceive, having shaped for a long way as though it was generous by the handicapper to have left him on the same mark as last time; tracked pace, travelled smoothly, yet to be asked for effort when leaving back straight, untidy 2 out, shaken up after, not quicken; his Sandown success excepted, it's normally paid to oppose him for win purposes.

GAUVAIN (GER) stopped the slide after 3 months off, confirming he stays this far, but he wouldn't be sure to be in the same form next time; not always fluent off pace, went in snatches, progress before fifth, effort end of back straight, in contention 2 out, stayed on.

BRADLEY ran much better than in the far more competitive Midlands National, though his performance was all rather familiar, never posing a win threat having gone in snatches; raced off the pace, not always fluent, went with little fluency, off pace still 3 out, ran on late.

JUNIOR has possibly gone off boil, though at least he ran better than in the Midlands National and there were excuses to be found, arguably needing the emphasis more on stamina and also missing a step at the start due to being static (others were rolling) when the tapes rose; close up early but went in snatches and settled mid-field, headway under pressure back straight, in contention home turn, no further impression.

TULLAMORE DEW (IRE) ran below form for the second time in a row; went in snatches, never landed a blow.

COOLE RIVER (IRE) shaped much better than the bare result dropping into a veterans' event after 4 months off, getting into things with ease only for a terrible early mistake and this sterner test at 3m to take their toll; dropped out, bad mistake fourth, smooth headway fifteenth, every chance early in straight, weakened; has far fewer miles on the clock than those who tend to contest these races, in only his second season over fences, and capable of winning one.

MAX BYGRAVES out much more quickly this time, possibly found the race coming too soon as he failed to get any closer than mid-division (reportedly bled).

PICKAMUS (FR) did too much too soon alongside Fine Parchment and is better judged on the way he shaped at Cheltenham; helped force pace, jumped well in main, headed when untidy 5 out, dropped away from next (finished lame).

FINE PARCHMENT (IRE) went off too hard with Pickamus, though his current well-being is hard to assess; helped force pace, lost place when slow fourteenth, stopped quickly.

WELL REFRESHED was again let down by his jumping; raced well off the pace, not fluent, struggling some way out, pulled up 4 out.