Timeform ratings: Five key performances from the weekend

GAELIC WARRIOR (173 from 169)

There was a stronger field for the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase than for the Betfair Chase 24 hours earlier, though there was an apparent stark difference in readiness between the two Willie Mullins stablemates who pulled a long way clear and the rest who came home at wide intervals. It’s therefore best not to take the bare result at face value given this was just a starting-point for the season ahead for plenty of the beaten horses, notably Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin who was a remote fifth.

But it still took a career-best effort from Gaelic Warrior to get the better of last year’s winner Fact To File, aided by the run of the race but building on his strong finish to last season when beating Grey Dawning in the Bowl at Aintree and following up at Sandown.

Whether Gaelic Warrior confirms superiority over Fact To File in any future meeting is open to question, given he had stolen a twelve-length lead by the seventh fence, but he did have to show battling qualities having been narrowly headed at the last before edging back in front on the flat for a neck win, putting himself in pole position for Kempton on an important weekend of King George clues.

FACT TO FILE (174 from 173)

Fact To File came off second-best in a memorable duel with his stablemate in his bid to win this for the second year running but ran right up to his best, on a par with routing his field in last season’s Ryanair Chase, with Gaelic Warrior enjoying the tactical edge on this occasion. Admittedly, Fact To File had closed the gap on him by the home turn and even edged past going to the last, but Fact To File had done plenty of running to peg back a rival who had pinched a lengthy lead. Three miles stretched him at Leopardstown a couple of times after his win here last year, so presumably he’ll remain at this sort of trip building towards another crack at the Ryanair.

JANGO BAIE 167p from 158

This looked an intriguing renewal of the 1965 Chase with little between four of the five runners in the betting beforehand, and while there was a lacklustre run from Pic d’Orhy, winner of the last two renewals, and an even more disappointing effort from Il Est Francais who shaped as if amiss, it threw up a serious King George candidate in Jango Baie, the youngest member of the field at the age of six, who showed significant improvement on his return to action.

The winner of last season’s Arkle despite the trip, he hadn’t done himself justice in the Manifesto at Aintree and, having had a breathing operation over the summer, put up an effort here to suggest the best of the Irish won’t have things all their own way at Kempton, even if Gaelic Warrior sets a high bar. Travelling well, Jango Baie made headway four out before leading going to the second last and was in command soon after, keeping on well on the run in. Three miles will be new territory for him, but he’ll stay the trip.

GREY DAWNING 166 from 163

Grey Dawning had been edged out by Royale Pagaille in last year’s Betfair Chase after shaping best most of the way, but that was in much more testing conditions favouring the latter (the time this year nearly 30 seconds quicker), and Grey Dawning comprehensively turned the tables to deny Royale Pagaille a hat-trick of wins in the race. Harry Skelton just had to shake him up to assert in the final hundred yards after Grey Dawning had loomed up under a patient ride following a typically good round of jumping, winning with a fair bit in hand.

Grey Dawning is a likeable type who deserves a crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup, though this was another substandard renewal of Britain’s first Grade 1 of the season, reflecting the current shortage of top-class home-trained chasers, and it’s worth noting that Jango Baie and old rival Gaelic Warrior both ran to a higher level of form when landing stronger races elsewhere this weekend.

THE JUKEBOX MAN 159p from 153p

The Betfair Exchange Graduation Chase at Haydock for horses who hadn’t won more than twice over fences has been won by the likes of Bravemansgame and Grey Dawning in recent seasons and this year’s renewal revolved around the return of another Grade 1 novice, The Jukebox Man having his first season over fences curtailed by injury after winning the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Back down in trip, he made an impressive comeback from that absence, value for something like a five-length success over Iroko in stretching his unbeaten run over fences to three

Making all the running, The Jukebox Man’s jumping was again a sight to behold, quickening three out and winning with plenty in hand. He remains a potentially top-class chaser and was another this weekend to throw his hat into the ring for the King George.

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