THERE was an exciting finish to the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase on Thursday, with Outlander coming down at the last when in the lead, though the eventual winner Alelchi Inois was beginning to gain on him and would probably have made things close.

Despite an early pace that was on the steady side, the overall time looks decent and works out at 25lb quicker than that recorded by Westerner Lady in winning the Grade 3 Mares Chase which followed it. Alelchi Inois has been awarded a 150 timefigure and Outlander, who was conceding him 3lb, one of 155. Haymount posted the fastest timefigure on a rather low-key card at Punchestown on Saturday in a beginners’ chase which could well prove notably strong, running to 139 with Coney Island and Mall Dini both returning a figure of 135.

Landofhopeandglory hardened as ante-post favourite for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March on the back of an easy success in the opening 3-Y-O Hurdle, though a four-length defeat of stablemate Zig Zag (one win from seven over hurdles previously) is not in itself especially exciting.

In a well-run race, the winner looks to have returned a timefigure of about 116, with British-trained Cliffs Of Dover leading the way among juveniles seen so far on 138.

There were a number of useful time efforts by winning novice chasers elsewhere in the period under review, including by Top Notch (146 timefigure) at Warwick, Politologue (142) at Haydock, Present Man (141) at Ascot and Baron Alco (140) at Plumpton, the last-named scoring by a remarkable 92 lengths in a time 5.4s faster than 127-rated handicapper Minella On Line later on the card.