Dominant Protektorat and Energumene shine - and both open to further progress

On paper it had the makings of a classic Betfair Tingle Creek, but, as both Nube Negra (159) and Chacun Pour Soi (156) failed to fire, Greaneteen (169+) probably didn't need to match his previous best to run out a clear-cut winner.

Rated 165 when chasing home Politologue in this race last year, he returned a career best RPR of 171 when claiming the scalp of Altior in a strongly run Celebration Chase over the same course and distance in April and, although he didn't need to on Saturday, he remains capable of bettering that figure.

Although it's not unusual for the earlier Grade 1 Close Brothers Henry VIII Novices' chase to be run in a quicker time – it's now happened in four of the last five years – a difference of the best part of four seconds between the two races is significant.