PUNCHESTOWN 18:00

All 11 ran. Hurdles: 13.

Time: 5m 55.1s Closing Sectional: (4.3f): 63.7s (102%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 120%, Betfair SP 100.2%

Still barely any new faces on show - the 1-2-3 from 2024 were back for more and the veteran runner-up was retired in the aftermath after chasing home Teahupoo again, as a further example of the staleness of the long-distance hurdle scene - but the spring ended with success for the one who has been something of a standout among the stayers in the last couple of seasons even if he arrived without another Cheltenham success to show for it.

TEAHUPOO (FR) gained compensation for his Stayers' Hurdle reverse without needing to do any more than show his form, which is something he's done so consistently since having his attentions moved to this division, undone in a sprint finish at Cheltenham but able to express himself fully in this more truly-run race as he moved to press the leader 2 out and typically dug deep to take over and then assert running to the last; Jasmin de Vaux would appear his main barrier to further control among the stayers next season.

ASTERION FORLONGE (FR) found only Teahupoo too good in this on the back of a spin back chasing for the second year in a row, a positive note on which to end an engaging and varied career (retired afterwards); held up, closing when blundered 3 out, rallied, close up third home turn, not quicken early in straight, stuck to task.

JETARA (IRE) made it 3 Grade 1-frame finishes in succession, this one as at Aintree in an open one; in touch out wide, lost ground briefly 2 out, crept closer out wide again home turn, not quicken before last, rallied flat, took third dying strides.

WINTER FOG (IRE) didn't see things out well enough to be rewarded with the placing his performance had deserved but, until his stamina gave out, had seemed far more at home compared to when having to go flat out against 2-milers, somewhere in the middle surely where what future he has left aged 11 ought to lie; held up, rapid headway after 3 out, led approaching next, ridden when headed early in straight, untidy last, tied up, lost third close home.

COLONEL MUSTARD (FR) hasn't finished worse than fifth across codes in 2½ years but still has only a solitary win in a maiden hurdle to show for his lengthy jumps career; held up, pushed along soon after 2 out, kept on gradually.

HOME BY THE LEE (IRE) has reverted to type this spring having appeared to have smartened up his act the other side of the New Year, though he did go without headgear this time; off pace out wide, never going well, lost ground sixth, laboured headway home turn, no further impression.

CRAMBO added to his patchy record in open company, despite threatening better for some way with cheekpieces added after 7 weeks off; prominent, took strong hold, driven soon after 2 out, dropped away.

FRANCISCAN ROCK (IRE) faced another stiff task but had run better pitted against several of these at Cheltenham; off pace early, settled mid-field third, flattened 5 out, outpaced from 2 out.

HIDDENVALLEY LAKE (IRE) had almost certainly left his season behind in the Liverpool Hurdle, with growing strong evidence he's better when fresh (this his quickest ever turnaround); raced off the pace, never going well from 4 out, behind 2 out.

ROCKY'S DIAMOND (IRE) was probably over the top, having already done a lot over the course of the last 7 months or so; jumped sketchily, led until approaching 2 out, beaten quickly.

MEET AND GREET (IRE) was out of his depth after 8 weeks off; mid-field, outpaced from 3 out, struggling when not fluent next.