FLICKER Of Hope enhanced his reputation with victory in the three-mile Easyfix Equine Novice Chase, but it was the third home, Bossofthebrownies, trained by Mouse Morris, who could have even better big-race claims this spring, writes Andy Stephens.

Bossofthebrownies was tapped for toe in the closing stages and was beaten six and a half lengths, but the seven-year-old stuck to his task and looked to be crying out for further.

His jumping was again assured, as it had been in his previous two starts over fences. His jump index scores have been 8.6, 8.5 and 8.1, indicating he will be able to cope with more experienced rivals in handicaps, especially in any race where stamina is at a premium.

His form suggests he will be given a rating in the mid to high 130s. That is likely to make the the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase at Cheltenham a temptation, but the race that could be the best fit for him is the BoyleSports Irish Grand National, at Fairyhouse on April 6th, which Morris has landed twice before.

Earlier on the card, I’ll Sort That continued to rise through the ranks with his all-the-way victory in the Ballymore Novice Hurdle at Naas, but the RaceiQ data suggests the three hurdles that were omitted played a pivotal part in his success.

The six-year-old, trained by Declan Queally and ridden by his son and namesake, kept pulling out more to keep Sortudo at bay by two and a half lengths, but only after he had surrendered 1.36 lengths with his jumping. By contrast, Sortudo gained almost five lengths with his leaping, hinting that the result might have been different had all the obstacles been in play.

At a lower level, keep Moon Mission in mind after his staying-on third in the two-mile, five-furlong handicap hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday. The Philip Rothwell-trained five-year-old offered more than previously switched to handicap ranks, beaten only three and a half lengths behind Powerful off a mark of 109. Moon Mission jumped better than previously, getting an overall jump iindex score of 7.7 and gaining 4.26 lengths. The data also tells us he was fastest of the whole field in the final two furlongs, despite his last leap being among his worst.