This Prestige Hurdle over 3350m on a boggy holding Ellerslie track with the rail out a massive 11.5m saw a promising unbeaten hurdler in Monarch Chimes maintain his status. The 6yo gelding was coasting fourth most of the way but his rider could not hold him back anymore and in a twinkling moved up and went clear in the lead with 600m to go. He had the race in safe keeping but then made a complete hash of the final fence and knocked the stuffing out of himself to be suddenly challenged at the 50m but he dug the deepest. Monarch Chimes refused to lose and ended up winning by half a length in 4:08.82 and took his record to five wins from twenty starts with three of those coming as a hurdler. In two weeks time he should manage the 4190m of the Great Northern Hurdle here but expect the rider to not go for home so far out and of course respect that final fence. El Corby ran a game second after sitting midfield then moving into fourth across the top before looking an ominous second turning for home. He was never going to get near Monarch Chimes until that runner blundered at the last badly and then got the opportunity to measure up with 50m to go. If good enough he would have won but was not as the winner kicked again and out-toughed him. El Corby may be an 8yo but as a hurdler he is thriving with five starts for three wins and two seconds. Just Got Home ran a distant third being fifteen and a half lengths from the winner but it was a brave effort. He got back then improved wide before reaching fourth then looked a flat fourth across the top only to get into third turning for home. D’Llaro, the Great Northern Hurdle winner last year here, raced second near the pace throughout before drifting across the top only to get his second wind and reach a distant fourth at the 200m. Hesalljazz considering he was a last start maiden hurdle winner was not too bad for fifth albeit distant and the one noticed running on all the time from second last in the running was the 10yo Raisafuasho. The rest got beaten twenty-nine lengths to over fifty-six lengths and either did not stay or this grade was too much for them. The quinella today should be the same in a fortnight here for the Great Northern Hurdle as both these jumpers have a turn of foot on the flat when needed and can put the older leapers to the sword at any time of their riders choosing. The only realistic threat will be Raisafuasho, which ran an unbelievable second in the Great Northern last year, as his preparation looks timed to a nicety again.