C1 | 4+
Winner GBP £99,662 - 5 runners
1m 7f 99y
Going: Good to Soft
Surface: T
A mouthwatering renewal that looks to concern three. IL ETAIT TEMPS (2) couldn't have been much more impressive when defeating Jonbon in the course and distance G1 Celebration Chase in April and made the perfect comeback with a smooth win in the G2 Clonmel Oil Chase. He still looks to be improving over fences and can come out on top. The chief threat may come from fellow improver L'EAU DU SUD (4) who won the G1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase on this card last season and returned this year with a commanding 15L success over JONBON (3) in the G2 Shloer Chase at Cheltenham last month. The latter is bidding for a third-straight win in this contest and Nicky Henderson's nine-year-old will no doubt take a step forward from his reappearance in first-time cheekpieces. LIBBERTY HUNTER (5) is next best.