HAYDOCK PARK 15:00

All 5 ran. Fences: 18.

Time: 6m 14.7s Closing Sectional: (2.8f): 44.1s (98.7%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 111%, Betfair SP 99.1%

Despite the new incentive of a £1 million bonus for connections of any horse that wins the 3 major Grade 1 staying events of the season in Britain - starting with this, followed by the King George and Cheltenham Gold Cup - the 2015 Betfair Chase had a familar look to it, the market headed by Silviniaco Conti and Cue Card, who between them had won the last 3 renewals, with Dynaste, who'd been placed behind those rivals in 2013 and 2014, also taking his chance again; it was a little disappointing that no second-season chaser nor anything from Ireland was attracted here considering the depth in this division generally at present and only time will tell how the form stands up in the grand scheme of things this season, but Cue Card's performance to rout a field of undoubted quality, no matter their advancing years, is well worth viewing positively at this stage; Silviniaco Conti wasn't harried for the lead but set a fair gallop on deep ground and there's no reason whatsoever to doubt the result.

CUE CARD showed that he was back to something like his best in the Charlie Hall 3 weeks earlier but this was a full revival to follow up in fine style, value for more than the 7-length winning margin and rated accordingly, the turnaround from last season quite remarkable for one rising 10 and has had physical problems; tactics were different to in this race 12 months ago, happy to sit in second chasing Silviniaco Conti rather taking him on for the lead, and he was always travelling strongly and jumping well, taking over on the bridle approaching 3 out, then drawing clear between the last 2 to go on and win easily; the King George is again the plan and, although it's a potentially stellar renewal with the likes of Vautour and Don Cossack set to take their chance, Cue Card will head to Kempton in arguably even better form than he did when runner-up in the 2013 renewal and, if in this mood again, will be right in the mix.

SILVINIACO CONTI (FR) had optimum conditions, almost identical to those encountered for his 2012 and 2014 wins in this race, with some of the same main rivals too, and it was a little underwhelming that he failed to put up more resistance to Cue Card in the latter stages, running respectably in line with previous high standards, certainly not at his very best; led, went with enthusiasm, headed approaching 3 out, kept on but no match for winner; he didn't show his best form in 2 starts after winning the King George last season, either, and it may just be that he's not quite capable of running to the same huge figures these days, potentially a lot more strength in depth at the top level of staying chases this season to boot.

DYNASTE (FR) got much closer to Cue Card at Wetherby 3 weeks earlier, shaping encouragingly there, but met that rival in even better form and, more importantly, wasn't at his best himself, the ground perhaps more testing than ideal (very best efforts and majority of wins have come on good/good to soft going); tracked pace, ridden when not fluent 3 out, beaten after 2 out.

HOLYWELL (IRE) failed to come on for his return in the Charlie Hall, again below form, but he's never peaked until much later in the season and it looks set to be the same again; in touch, not fluent sixth, mistake ninth, struggling badly 5 out, soon done with.

BALLYNAGOUR (IRE) clearly wasn't 100% on the day; held up, mistakes eleventh, twelfth and fourteenth, lost touch after.