LUDLOW 15:20

All 9 ran. Fences: 19.

Time: 6m 29.23s Closing Sectional: (2.18f): 38.3s (90.3%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 112%, Betfair SP 100.9%

No little interest was removed when 2 of the market leaders departed early on, those that ended up involved in the latter stages mostly exposed, though the winner didn't put a foot wrong in a well-run race.

GLOBAL POWER (IRE) back in headgear, put his Ffos Las flop straight behind him and proved at least as good as ever, putting in a fault-free display where others failed on one score or another, looking even more superior for most of the straight than the final margin might suggest; jumped superbly, in touch out wide, jumped on sixth, joined briefly circuit out, pressed on home turn and found more than enough to maintain lead; evidently not the one-dimensional thorough stayer he's been campaigned as, but other races of this class will take more winning regardless.

FIVE STAR WILSHAM (IRE) ran creditably back up in trip; raced off the pace, good progress 5 out, outpaced entering straight, rallied well from 2 out, stayed on, no impression on winner.

WHATS HAPPENING (IRE) shaped as if back in form ridden more prominently after 8 weeks off, not that he could go with the winner when it mattered; disputed lead before halfway, upsides again circuit out, mistake thirteenth, driven after 5 out, held from 3 out, rallied well late on.

DRUMSHAMBO (USA) ran much better than last time until the longer trip found him out, looking set for second for much of the straight; tracked pace, effort shaken up end of back straight, chased leader from early in straight, faltered approaching last and lost 2 places.

IT'S A STEAL (IRE) shaped better than the bare result after 7 weeks off, perhaps not a 3-miler but also considerately handled as the race was developing, either way looking back on song; mid-field, shuffled back briefly twelfth, smooth headway fourteenth, effort approaching straight, no further impression, not knocked about; one to bear in mind.

ALFIE SPINNER (IRE) had been given 8 weeks off but ran fairly poorly for the second successive outing; disputed lead until sixth, remained prominent, shuffled back early final circuit, beaten before straight.

DURSEY SOUND (IRE) might have needed the run after 10 weeks off and didn't look in such bad form as the distance beaten might suggest, not that he was pulling up any trees at the end of 2014; mid-field, good progress out wide early final circuit, pushed along after fourteenth, lost place soon after, beaten home turn.

WHAT A GOOD NIGHT (IRE) still looked open to improvement but failed to complete after 3 months off, off the pace when hampered and unseated at the fifth.

TONY STAR (FR) found his jumping problems resurfacing, tracking the pace until blundering and unseating at the fifth.