SANDOWN PARK 15:00

All 5 ran. Fences: 13. Race Distance Adjustment: +25 yds

Time: 4m 1.2s Closing Sectional: (2.75f): 41.4s (102.9%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 110%, Betfair SP 99.8%

A good renewal of the Tingle Creek, dual winner Jonbon reopposing a younger pair who'd beaten him on his previous 2 starts, again no match for Il Etait Temps for all he got his revenge on L'Eau du Sud, the winner's rating one of highest in this race since the days of Sprinter Sacre; the early pace was nothing special, resulting in a significantly slower time than clocked by Lulamba earlier in the afternoon.

IL ETAIT TEMPS (FR) cemented his position as the leading 2m chaser, his form some way in advance of reigning Champion Chase winner Marine Nationale and his younger stable-companion Majborough (who fluffed his lines at Cork 24 hrs later); it was another very smooth display, racing in third until taking over soon after 3 out then quickly settling the issue between the last 2 to run out an impressive winner; he was promoted to 11/4 favourite for the Queen Mother after this and, though mistakes cost him when third to Gaelic Warrior in the 2024 Arkle, he's barely put a foot wrong jumping-wise over the last couple of seasons.

JONBON (FR) was in first-time cheekpieces and ran much better than at Cheltenham but was still beaten further by Il Etait Temps than in the Celebration Chase last spring and is well worth another try over further nowadays, having no excuses and and lacking the finishing speed of the winner; his jumping was fine bar an awkward leap at the second as he dictated matters until soon after 3 out, just no match for the winner from the next despite keeping on gamely.

L'EAU DU SUD (FR) wasn't in the same form 3 weeks on from the Shloer but, even so, the fact he's now come up short on his last 3 tries at Grade 1 level is hard to ignore when assessing his Champion Chase claims; he typically jumped soundly in the main but, having stalked Jonbon until 3 out, was one paced from the home turn.

LIBBERTY HUNTER probably isn't up to his level but was let down by his jumping for the third successive start, no threat after a bad mistake 4 out having just moved into fourth.

BOOTHILL (IRE) was out of his depth but is hard to weigh up these days all the same, now over a year since he's shown rateable form.