THERE was plenty of good fare across the two days of Newbury’s fixture, with the Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase a thrilling spectacle.

The progressive De Rasher Counter came out on top, recording a healthy 153 timefigure (154 on sectionals) but received a fine attacking ride from promising conditional Ben Jones, the pair going on turning in after a pace that had been fair rather than stronger.

Third-placed Elegant Escape did well under conditions (barely on the easy side of “good”) that did not get to the bottom of his stamina, worth a figure of 167 in first-time blinkers.

This is very smart form, but the BHA handicapper has taken few chances in putting up all of the principals as a result (the winner by 11lbs). Just how speed-favouring the conditions were had been apparent when The Cashel Man almost broke the 20-furlong hurdles record in a handicap earlier, an effort that now has him on 149.

Epatante turned what had looked a competitive intermediate handicap hurdle into something of a cakewalk with a blistering turn of foot (52.8s, 107.7% finishing speed) and sectionals that push her up to 148.

She has further improvement to make to be a leading Champion Hurdle contender but does look an out-and-out two-miler and is now carrying some of my money ante-post.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Danny Whizzbang maintained his unbeaten record with a debut win over fences in the Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase, though this three-runner contest may not prove the most reliable, a sectionally adjusted 140 figure for the winner being very much a maximum at this stage.

The Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle which could well have a bearing on the same at the Cheltenham Festival, with the winner Floressa – 137, including some sectional boosting – understandably among the favourites for the latter.

The handicap chase won by Magic Saint was the strongest-run race of the two days and predictably resulted in a solid-looking 152 timefigure. Bennys King’s race was a decent test, too, worth a 144 timefigure.

Paisley Park was back with a vengeance on the Friday in the Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle, in which he gave weight and a length beating to the evergreen Thistlecrack. Perhaps the most impressive aspect was that Paisley Park showed more pace than previously in what turned into something of a sprint finish (109.8% finishing speed). As a result, a distinctly modest overall time for Paisley Park goes up to 165, equal to his previous best.

The overall time was also unexceptional for Champ in the Grade 2 Berkshire Novices’ Chase, but again his time from three out of 41.1s (108.7% finishing speed) is enough to make the winner’s figure more than respectable, at 150.