Another impressive performance by DE BLANC around this punishing course. She found a shorter trip around Southwell all too quick for her last time, but back here she showed the style which cost her dearly with the handicapper when beating Perle de Puce over slightly shorter here previously.

She looks a natural for the Uttoxeter final next month, but with that being a handicap connections are worried about being ambushed by a rival with a protected handicap mark. On her side is that there will be fewer more professional jumpers in the race and she makes light of testing conditions. She had the race run on the home turn and, taken to the stands rail and eased into the last, she cruised home on the run-in to be value for the full distance.

Elfkirk stopped to a walk after jumping two out when third, around another 20 lengths back, so it was no surprise when she could not clear the last landing atop with her rider jumping off.

The Sneakster was racing wide when diving out to the gate back to the paddock on the first circuit.

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