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This looked an interesting heat on paper and it provided a good test in the conditions, the emphasis on stamina working very much in favour of the winner Slip of The Tongue. He ultimately won by three quarters of a length and it's tempting to say that he was value for extra given the bad mistake he made at the last, though that alone doesn't tell the story.
In fact, the horse to take out of the race was arguably the runner-up Deploy The Getaway, who improved on the form of his Down Royal success three weeks earlier despite appearing to find this too much of a test in the conditions.
Settled in mid-division in the early stages, he moved up to lead on the bridle three out and still held a narrow advantage on the approach to the last, but it was clear at that stage that he was vulnerable and the winner was always doing enough close home to get the verdict.
There was still plenty to like about the way Deploy The Getaway moved through the race, though, and everything about him suggests he could take high rank as a novice chaser next season. In the more immediate future, his strong-travelling style identifies him as one to be interested in for a big-field handicap, with the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival likely to enter calculations.
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After a double at Kempton the day before and with Eldorado Allen winning the Denman Chase later on the card, Colin Tizzard’s string are in form and The Big Breakaway was well backed to provide the stable with another winner in this handicap hurdle. He wasn’t able to give a stone or more away all round to his seven rivals but wasn’t beaten far, passing the post fourth behind The Brimming Water, and came out the best horse at the weights.
Never too far away, The Big Breakaway led narrowly three out before being headed at the next but after getting outpaced, stayed on again on the run-in despite being carried left in the closing stages which resulted in the stewards promoting him to third ahead of culprit Risk And Roll.
That was The Big Breakaway’s first run after a wind op and a big improvement on his last run when unable to make a race of it with Chantry House in a match at Sandown. A return to fences should suit The Big Breakaway after this confidence booster over hurdles, and he could be interesting if given an entry in the Ultima at Cheltenham.
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The winner showed improved form upped to three miles in a first-time tongue tie, but there was plenty to like about the Valsheda's run in second, too.
He was still going well when crumpling on landing on his debut over fences at Newbury in December and was well backed ahead of his second start over fences.
Valsheda ran a fine race too boot, too, but was unable to reel in the winner on the run-in when staying on after the last. He left the impression that he was in need of a stiffer test, three miles round a sharp track like Kempton not getting to the bottom of him on good ground.
There should be even more to come from him, though, and given the winner was a £300,000 purchase out of the pointing field, this looks solid form for the grade, while the front-running third brought recent winning form to the table. Valsheda looks well up to winning a similar event in the near future.
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Cornicello had shaped like a fairly-treated horse when fourth on his handicap debut at Taunton last month and he also gave the impression that he's on a decent mark when third at Huntingdon on Thursday.
Cornicello deserves credit for finishing third as he was badly hampered by the fall of Flamenco de Kerser at the fourth-last and dropped to the rear of the field as a consequence.
The way he got back into contention after such a significant piece of interference suggests that he is capable of a bigger effort under more favourable circumstances.
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Ceolwulf showed fair form in bumpers, hitting the frame on all three occasions, and he made an encouraging start over hurdles at Sedgefield on Wednesday.
This maiden hurdle was run at a good gallop and Ceolwulf impressed with how fluently he travelled in mid-division, catching the eye with the made smooth headway he made coming out of the back straight.
He appeared to be going as well as anything on the approach to the second-last but he was untidy at that flight and soon became outpaced. He stuck to his task well, though, and rallied on the run-in, going down by just three-quarters of a length. He is entitled to improve for the experience and build on that promising effort.
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Iberio looked a very good prospect when winning a bumper on debut at Newton Abbot in October and he showed something more in line with that form when opening his account over hurdles on handicap debut here.
It was a big step forward from what he had shown previously in maiden/novice company, the fitting of first-time cheekpieces seemingly having a positive effect, but he still looked far from the finished article.
This may not have been as competitive as the numbers suggest, but the trio that chased him home were some of the more interesting ones, and Iberio would have likely won with plenty more in hand had he not made an error at the second-last.
There is still plenty of room for improvement regards his jumping, but the fact he was able to win even after making several mistakes suggests he is a very well-treated horse.
Iberio definitely has the potential to do even better in this sphere and will be one to look out for wherever he turns up next time.
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This was a good race of its type, and the winner, who was a six-figure purchase from the pointing field, looks above average, so it is well worth taking a positive view of the runner-up, Masked Crusader, who was making his hurdling debut.
He showed plenty on his debut in a bumper for Donnchadh Doyle in Ireland, and he had also finished runner-up on his second start in points, so it was no surprise that he was able to show plenty on his first start over hurdles for Donald McCain.
Masked Crusader was strong enough in the market and race close up throughout, taking up the lead after jumping the fourth flight before being headed by the winner just after the last. He was unable to quicken with that rival, but stayed on well enough, and he seems sure to do better with this experience under his belt.
There is plenty about him physically, and he is well up to winning a similar event next time on this evidence, while he also has the option of moving up in trip which he is bred to relish.
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