AINTREE 14:50

All 7 ran. Fences: 19.

Time: 6m 15.6s Closing Sectional: (3.15f): 46.1s (102.7%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 113%, Betfair SP 100.5%

This tends not to be such a deep Grade 1 staying event as others earlier in the campaign but it was a high-quality field of 7 nonetheless, Silviniaco Conti taken on by, amongst others, Gold Cup-fourth Holywell and Ryanair runner-up Ma Filleulle, both of whom were also winners at this meeting in 2014; the winner made all, as he did 12 months earlier, but he set a sound pace, really winding it up early on the final circuit, and although conditions weren't testing it was a good test of both stamina and jumping.

SILVINIACO CONTI (FR) isn't able to produce his best form at Cheltenham but aside from the Gold Cup he's dominated the Grade 1 staying races in Britain for the last 2 seasons, now a dual winner of Haydock's Betfair Chase, the King George at Kempton and this contest, not needing to be at his very best here but getting the job done under a positive ride - tactics that suit him well these days; he made all of the running, full of enthusiasm and jumping impeccably throughout, and when Fehily had to get more serious after 2 out he responded and just held on; with an exciting crop of novices coming through this season - Coneygree, Vautour and Don Poli in particular - these Grade 1 staying events will be tougher to win next season, but there's little doubt that Silviniaco Conti will continue to make an impact at the flat tracks that suit him so well.

BALLYNAGOUR (IRE) stands little racing and is rather enigmatic, but on his day he's a very good chaser, as this highlights, comfortably a career-best effort on form in a first-time hood after 4 months off, also proving his stamina for this trip away from testing ground, and, given the fine margin involved, he might well have won but for a blunder 4 out; dropped out, travelled powerfully as usual, smooth headway from thirteenth, bad mistake 4 out, chased leader last and closed all the way to the line, just failing; he goes extremely well fresh and will presumably be primed for either the Betfair Chase or King George first time out next season.

HOLYWELL (IRE) again acquitted himself really well, as he had in the Gold Cup, and his record under these sort of conditions in the spring is impossible to knock; prominent, not always fluent, driven 5 out, kept going well, pulled clear of remainder; he's had a light campaign and would be worth considering for Punchestown in a few weeks.

SMAD PLACE (FR) faced a stiff task but did as well as he could under conditions that suited him better than they had in the Gold Cup, though hasn't won this season and could do with sights lowering if he's to get back to winning ways; tracked pace, mistake fourteenth, outpaced 3 out, kept on, no match for principals; he was fifth in the Hennessy but otherwise hasn't been tried in top-end handicaps and they're an option for 2015/16.

MENORAH (IRE) thrived in the autumn but doesn't hold his form long nowadays and, despite having been kept fresh for this since well held in the King George, he was below form after 3 months off; mid-division, went prominent circuit out, blundered 5 out, struggling next.

MA FILLEULE (FR) shaped much better than distance beaten suggests, possibly stretched by the trip (very best form has come at short of 3m), although to find so little it was almost as if there was another problem on the day; tracked pace, travelled well, effort 3 out but folded tamely after next and finished tired.

VUKOVAR (FR) who had been switched from Harry Fry's stable since last seen 4 months earlier, has a bit to prove given it's so long since he showed his form but is best not judged on this run, out of his depth and up markedly in trip (stays 2¼m); held up, made mistakes, lost touch 5 out, pulled up before last.