AYR 15:35

Non Runners: ELVIS MAIL (FR), FLOWER OF SCOTLAND (FR), WAITNSEE (IRE), FAMOUS BRIDGE (IRE), MONBEG GENIUS (IRE). Fences: 27.

Time: 8m 9.6s Closing Sectional: (2.2f): 31.3s (108.2%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 131%, Betfair SP 98.9%

A handful of ground-related withdrawals headed by ante-post favourite Monbeg Genius - Ayr had been forced to water the evening before after times on the opening day had suggested the going was bordering on good to firm - prompted the smallest field for the country's figurehead chase since 17 went to post under similarly dry conditions in 2009, with the other upshot that all bar 2 of the 11 that completed were covered by only 20 lengths as conditions ensured this was no exhausting slog even with the pace having been contested, a regular in these types of races who rarely fails to fire in them regardless of circumstances ultimately running out a decisive winner at the chief expense of a fellow big handicap chase winner from the winter.

KITTY'S LIGHT has made hay in the absence of Win My Wings in landing major marathon handicaps on his last 2 outings that had been won by that retired stablemate in 2022, finding himself well-in after a quiet start to the campaign and, thriving again as season-end has approached, making light of a rise in the weights that left him still 3 lb below that from which he'd been runner-up in this last year, with nothing like the same level of drama that had characterised his gritty Eider success, save for an error at the last when he'd already worked his way to the front under a typically patient ride (returning cheekpieces probably helped keep his focus), finding bundles as ever to shrug aside that sole mistake; he was 5 lb higher when third to Hewick amid that one's rise to Gold Cup contender in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown on the back of this last season.

COOPER'S CROSS (IRE) underlined his toughness just a week after his Topham mishap, not only back on song but posting another personal best on the season, his relative speed enabling him to get into things from a long way back in what proved no slog at the much longer trip; held up, he was still no better than tenth 5 out and had to switch for a run before the third last, yet he'd sustained his run to press the winner approaching the last, held only late on.

FLASH DE TOUZAINE (FR) proved well suited by the longer trip - indeed left the impression he'd have benefited from a more severe test at it - as he fared better than in a couple of high-profile handicaps around 3m in his homeland this season; settled mid-field on inner, in touch when not fluent 4 out, effort when short of room from 3 out, rallied strongly run-in, closed down second near finish.

THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE (IRE) has taken until the final weeks of the season to recapture something like his novice form, belatedly getting the chance to prove the suitability of an extreme distance, though he did show an ungainly side as well retried in cheekpieces; tracked pace, in touch when not fluent 4 out, ridden when carried head bit awkwardly between 3 out and 2 out, stayed on.

MAGNA SAM couldn't have enjoyed much more of an upturn than he has in a couple of outings for Alastair Ralph, saved for this since landing the Edinburgh version and shaping second best on the day, a big move into things appearing to tell as he was run out of the frame at the death, all from 3 lb out of the weights; waited with, rapid headway out wide 4 out, led soon after, ridden when untidy 2 out, headed soon after, third last, tied up final 100 yds and lost 2 further places; Sandown may come too soon but, either way, he has another one of these in him.

YOUR OWN STORY (IRE) didn't have the chance the market suggested from 1 lb out of the weights and came up short in his bid to provide his trainer/rider with a second 'National' in as many weeks, things happening rather too quickly for him at this level; tracked pace, lost ground gradually before halfway, outpaced still home turn, best work finish.

HALF SHOT (IRE) has been running out of his skin for ages, often in less-than-ideal circumstances, namely the extreme distance on this occasion racing from out of the weights (7 lb) for the third time in his last 5 outings; dropped out, went with zest, mistake twentieth, good progress home turn, shaken up 3 out, effort flattened out as stamina gave out; it's worth reiterating that the rest would have to start now if he could be found a 0-125 or lower short of 3m.

EMPIRE STEEL (IRE) seemed to find the marathon trip beyond him after he'd gone with zest, if anything seeming in better form than when a rather flattered winner at Kelso the time before, all on ground firmer than probably suits ideally; mid-field, not settle fully on inner, went handy after 5 out, ridden when not fluent 2 out, effort flattened out.

LORD ACCORD (IRE) shaped better than in the Kim Muir, outlasting his fellow pace-setter; made most until fifth, pressed leader after, disputed lead again tenth, stayed upsides until ridden soon after 4 out, dropped away 2 out.

CAP DU NORD (FR) probably failed to stay after 8 weeks off; held up, mistake fourteenth, crept closer from 5 out, shaken up after next, not sustain effort.

SMALL PRESENT (IRE) faced a stiff task from 8 lb out of the handicap, even on the best of his chasing form, which he hasn't shown this calendar year, retried cheekpieces not rejuvenating him; raced off the pace, not fluent twenty-second, pushed along before straight, made little impression.

FLASH COLLONGES (FR) failed to complete in rather luckless fashion, still in touch when slithering to the ground at the nineteenth after clearing the fence without alarm.

MIGHTY THUNDER was in the process of failing to build on recent mild positives when departing, racing from 3 lb out of the weights but still 16 lb lower than when having his finest hour in this in 2021; raced well off the pace, went with little fluency, struggling when hampered and unseated nineteenth; sadly, died soon after race.

DUSART (IRE) had little go right in first-time cheekpieces after 12 weeks off, losing a good position when stumbling badly on landing at the third and back in mid-field when brought down in the aftermath of the fall of Flash Collonges at the nineteenth.

MANOTHEPEOPLE (IRE) failed to justify support switching from a small-field novice handicap; close up when mistake second, led fifth, joined tenth, edged ahead briefly 4 out, soon done with, pulled up quickly (as though amiss) 2 out.

RUTHLESS ARTICLE (IRE) was let down by his jumping; settled in touch on inner, lost place when blundered twenty-first, twenty-second, not recover.

UNDERSUPERVISION (IRE) merely underlined his inconsistency, done with in strides; pressed leader early, ridden 5 out, lost place quickly and out on feet when clambered over fourth last.

MALINA GIRL (IRE) ran poorly 3 weeks on from Downpatrick; raced off the pace, went in snatches, struggling when hampered nineteenth.