PUNCHESTOWN 17:30

All 4 ran. Fences: 18.

Time: 6m 21.2s Closing Sectional: (3.65f): 49.5s (112.6%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 108%, Betfair SP 101.5%

Sometimes there's absolutely no stopping Galopin des Champs and it was clear from a good way out with positive tactics restored that this was going to be one of those days when his combination of assured jumping and rare ability to maintain such a relentless gallop would be too much for a trio of pretenders to bear.

GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (FR) finally ended his season at this meeting with a bang rather than a whimper, back to looking the nigh-on unbeatable stayer he so often does when getting into the rhythm he did here yet had failed to when seeing his crown slip in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, on one hand a boost to the credentials of Inothewayurthinkin but moreover confirmation he's still the best chaser around when on song, which he clearly hadn't been the previous month; there was simply no stopping him on the day, going a gallop that had other top-flight chasers - the King George winner among them - out of their comfort zone by the third last and maintaining it unabated after taking 2 out only 8 lengths clear of Spillane's Tower, the only moment of worry having come much earlier when he hung left at the path before the seventh.

SPILLANE'S TOWER (IRE) has been seen only 3 times since ending his novice season with a Grade 1 success at this meeting and the first of those runs in open company - when having a below-par Galopin des Champs behind in the John Durkan - remains clearly his best, looking back in better form following another 4 months off as he closed briefly even after mistakes 4 out and 3 out but still left trailing by the top-notch winner late on; he's still got age on his side and it's to be hoped he makes the track more regularly in 2025/26.

MONTY'S STAR (IRE) keeps having his limitations exposed at this level; chased leader until sixth, awkward thirteenth, struggling 4 out.

BANBRIDGE (IRE) is a top-class chaser but nothing like so metronomic in showing it as such greats as Galopin des Champs, his King George win the clear highlight of a 5-race spell in recent months that has seen him run poorly on 3 of them; in touch, chased leader from sixth, pushed along from 4 out, no response straight.