THE undercard to the Betfair Chase at Haydock last Saturday contained plenty of interest. Thebannerkingrebel kicked things off with a ready win in the listed novices’ hurdle, though his time equates to a figure of 135, and he has some way still to go to be a leading Supreme Novices’ candidate.

Keeper Hill achieved more than may be widely appreciated when beating a trio of useful novices in the Graduation Chase, conceding them weight and getting up late on in a well-run contest to record a 151 timefigure.

The heavily-backed Bold Plan did remarkably well to come from off the pace in a muddling handicap hurdle, collaring the well-treated and more prominently ridden Whoshotthesheriff.

The winner’s bare timefigure of 125 goes up to 145 on the back of fast late sectionals, and he looks capable of winning another decent handicap before perhaps tackling something better.

By contrast, the three-mile handicap hurdle on the same Haydock card was run at a searching pace, and the result of it needs to be viewed with that in mind.

Stoney Mountain stayed on dourly to win with a well-up-to-scratch 142 timefigure, but second Acey Milan (133 after sectional upgrading), fourth Ask Ben (137) and fifth Umbrigado (144) deserve extra credit for having been in the firing line some way out.

All three are of interest off this sort of mark, while third-placed Tedham (131) got messed about at a crucial stage before rallying.

Torpillo made a satisfactory start over fences at Warwick on Wednesday week, beating useful hurdlers Mister Fisher and Lisp readily, though helped by the generous allowance for four-year-olds and by being able to set undemanding fractions. He should improve a fair bit on his 137 figure here.

Bumper form tends to come out quite a bit lower than hurdle/chase form, with a figure in the 130s sometimes good enough to be divisional leader come the season’s end.

In that context, Soaring Glory placed a significant marker in running to 124 on time at Ascot last Saturday (the best bumper figure of the campaign so far), while the filly Pure Bliss impressed at Ffos Las the day before, posting a 116 figure in typically testing conditions.