HAYDOCK PARK 14:05

All 7 ran. Fences: 22. Race Distance Adjustment: +75 yds

Time: 8m 20.1s Closing Sectional: (2.9f): 54.3s (92.8%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 115%, Betfair SP 100.2%

A brutal test of stamina and a heartwarming success for Blaklion, who jumped and galloped his rivals into submission just days before his 13th birthday, having things in the bag from 4 out as all the rest cracked one by one.

BLAKLION is enjoying a purple patch towards the end of his career, following up his win here earlier in the month in even more dominant fashion, his enthusiasm and bold jumping a rare thing from one his age; pressed leader, jumped accurately, travelled fluently, jumped on tenth, drew clear before 4 out, in command after, won easily; he goes so well around here that it wouldn't be surprising if he returns for the Peter Marsh next month, though it might make more sense to give him a longer break and have another crack at the Grand National Trial in February, a race he's twice been runner-up in.

THE TWO AMIGOS was running here instead of in the Welsh National because his trainer forgot to enter him at Chepstow but wouldn't have made much of an impact there given how he performed; soon led, headed tenth, pushed along seventeenth, left behind by winner soon after, plugged on straight, regained second near finish without posing the remotest threat to Blaklion.

BEWARE THE BEAR (IRE) picked up a bit of place money but this was no more promising in this than his first effort for the yard; raced off the pace, went with little fluency, never on terms.

BOBO MAC (IRE) has generally become a better jumper with experience and this was a rare non-completion nowadays; held up, unseated rider ninth.

CHEF D'OEUVRE (FR) in a change of headgear, possesses deep reserves of stamina (won this race in 2018) but even he seemed to find it too much of a test; prominent, mistake fourteenth, distant third when slow 4 out, pulled up before next.

CAPTAIN CATTISTOCK shaped much better than being pulled up would suggest on hs return from 7 months off, though ultimately he (and his rider) got so tired that he was unable to continue, a few energy-sapping mistakes not helping; in touch, slow seventh, hit twelfth, bad mistake fifteenth, chased leader before 5 out, weakened next, clambered over 3 out and out on his feet when pulled up before last.

VIEUX LION ROUGE (FR) seemed to provide further evidence that his best days are behind him, hardly surprising given the number of tough races he's endured over the years; prominent, went with little fluency, slow seventh, driven early final circuit, dropped away gradually, pulled up before 5 out.