NEWBURY 15:35

Non Runners: GIVEMEFIVE (IRE). Hurdles: 8.

Time: 3m 56s Closing Sectional: (4.05f): 59.5s (98.5%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 134%, Betfair SP 99.9%

A top weight rated 7 lb higher than last year's was indicative of a better-quality renewal than in its final running as the 'Betfair' in 2023, though the days of Grade-1 bound hurdlers taking this in en route to Cheltenham seem something of a relic now and it was an unexposed one at the very opposite end of the handicap in an admittedly familiar set of silks in this race who proved too well treated for a field much closer to their ceiling or in some cases already maxed out; Mirabad sprinted into a clear lead not long after the second, ensuring a strong gallop that ensured no tactics seemed favoured.

JOYEUSE (FR) made a mockery of a mark lower than any winner of this famous race since Wingman held off another top weight (this yard's Champion Hurdler Punjabi) in 2008, building up with each run back in a campaign of patience and expressing herself far more fully in a strongly-run, big-field affair back at 2m than in the tactical affairs she'd tackled towards the end of 2024, providing her owner with a fourth 'Betfair' this century alone and her trainer - peerless in the 2m division in both disciplines - a sixth since Sharpical had started the ball rolling in 1998; the negative of that selective approach is she still hasn't run the requisite 5 times to qualify for one of the big Cheltenham handicap hurdles, though connections may have pretensions beyond that in time in any case and it would be folly to assume she can't live up to such from how she did this, travelling and jumping with great fluency and still on the bridle as she moved upsides after 3 out in a scene reminiscent of the same connections' My Tent Or Yours, the response when asked to settle it from the last nearly as striking as how she'd gone about the task until then as she recorded - and would have done so even had Secret Squirrel stood up - the biggest winning margin in this hotly-contested handicap in a decade.

LUMP SUM (FR) not only put a rare off-colour display in the Christmas Hurdle behind him but ran a stormer back in a handicap from a mark 10 lb higher than when he'd landed the Welsh Champion first time back, time likely to show he had a Herculean task attempting to concede a stone and a half to a winner just starting her rise; held up, good progress 3 out, in contention from next, chased leader last, left behind by winner.

NAVAJO INDY hit the frame in an even better-quality handicap but the visuals were just the same as they'd been at Windsor, first-time cheekpieces having no obvious impact kept to 2m when he's clearly crying out for a return to further; in rear, struggled with brisk pace, behind still 3 out, finished well to run into unlilkely placing.

FAVOUR AND FORTUNE (IRE) was back to shaping well 7 weeks on from his reappearance and will be of interest in similar races in the spring, when a return to less testing ground will be in his favour if anything (strong-travelling type whose Ayr handicap win came on good to soft); patiently ridden, travelled fluently, still plenty to do 3 out, steady headway from there, held when third final 1f, lost third only late on.

BEAT THE BAT (IRE) remains in good form but will need a return to further if he's to make a more meaningful impression in leading handicaps; mid-field, slow third, outpaced 4 out, behind next, stayed on again latter stages.

KING WILLIAM RUFUS (FR) shaped as if straight back in form, making his effort probably a shade earlier than ideal in what had been a strongly-run race; chased leaders, going well when produced to lead soon after 3 out, not fluent next, headed quickly, no extra final 1f.

GO DANTE finished 4 places worse than in this in 2024 but still hinted fairly firmly at a revival a month away from the race that has possibly been his main focus all season; dropped out, travelled better than most, still plenty to do entering straight, rapid headway briefly 3 out, no further impression when hampered last.

OUR CHAMP (IRE) is handicapped to the hilt for prizes like this and did about as much as he could even without his usual tongue tie, ridden more patiently than normal but in the right place as it turned out; off pace, pushed along straight, stayed on gradually, no threat.

WILLIETHEBUILDER (IRE) is in better heart than his last 2 form figures from races nearly 3 months apart might suggest; dropped out, well off pace still end of back straight, crept closer out wide from 3 out, no further impression; perhaps he's building up to Ayr (could be crucial meeting for title-chasing trainer) when the ground is likely to be less testing, and beyond that he's got the hallmarks of a very useful novice chaser.

MIRABAD (FR) found burning off this field an altogether different task, forced to go harder to open the same sort of advantage 8 weeks on from Cheltenham and clearly paying for it; close up, led before second, pressed on soon after, closed down clear still 4 out, reduced advantage quickly next, headed soon after, beaten when hampered last.

AUCUNRISQUE (FR) isn't the force he was when landing this race in a pure test of speed in 2023, finding it far tougher bidding to regain his crown 2 years on; ridden more patiently, settled mid-field, pushed along straight, made little impression.

IBERICO LORD (FR) fell well short of last year's winning standards in a renewal that went to a different market principal representing the same connections; mid-division, jumped better, shaken up after 3 out, no response; it's entirely possible his fall over fences has impacted him for all there's always the chance he's being brought along with later-season handicaps in mind.

WASHINGTON had presumably been saved for this since Fairyhouse but still saw his winning run ended in no uncertain terms back in Britain from a BHA mark 15 lb above that he'd just defied at Chepstow first time back; tracked pace, mistake second, lost place when pushed along straight, left behind.

SECRET SQUIRREL has been denied a placing by a last-flight fall in other big handicaps either side of his Windsor win, though second is the best he could have done this time against an unexposed winner clearly thrown-in, having made his move at the same time as that rival but come under pressure just behind Lump Sum in third at the time of his luckless departure (lost footing on landing rather than bad mistake).

JOSH THE BOSS hasn't gone on at all from his reappearance win in a Silver Trophy that had seen him to maximumg advantage early in the season, competition for the lead probably a factor; soon led but headed before second, remained prominent until straight, lost place when slow 3 out, left behind.

FIERCELY PROUD (IRE) turned in a lethargic effort and was found to have been suffering from an irregular heartbeat; led briefly early, lost ground from first, labouring badly from 4 out.

MINELLA MISSILE (IRE) found this a total shock to the system dropping back 1m in trip on just his second appearance since November 2023; raced off the pace, outpaced before 4 out.