Pentiffic laid claim to the title of Australia's best jumper with a dominant display to add the Crisp Steeplechase at Sandown to his recent Hiskens win.Given a "10 out of 10" ride from Trent Wells, Pentiffic had too much zip over the concluding stages to run away with victory in Sunday's $100,000 event.Pentiffic ($2.20 fav) defeated Mazzacano ($2.80) by 10 lengths with Spirit Of Alaton ($17) a further three-quarters of a length away third at the end of the 3900 metres.Stablemate of the winner, J

Pentiffic laid claim to the title of Australia's best jumper with a dominant display to add the Crisp Steeplechase at Sandown to his recent Hiskens win.

Given a "10 out of 10" ride from Trent Wells, Pentiffic had too much zip over the concluding stages to run away with victory in Sunday's $100,000 event.

Pentiffic ($2.20 fav) defeated Mazzacano ($2.80) by 10 lengths with Spirit Of Alaton ($17) a further three-quarters of a length away third at the end of the 3900 metres.

Stablemate of the winner, Jamraan ($18-$21), managed to hold down fourth ahead of Robbie Laing trained Sir Pentire ($12-$14) who finished fifth.

After the race, co-trainer Fran Houlahan was full of praise for Pentiffic.

"He is a superstar isn't he," Houlahan said.

"We used to think of him (highly) on the flat but it's taken him to be a jumper for him to do that.

"That's the ability the horse has got and he just loves this jumping caper."

Houlahan was also quick to acknowledge the perfect ride from Wells, who unlike many of his counterparts, ensured he didn't hit the front too early in the race.

"You've got to give him ten out of ten for that, it was an extraordinarily good ride," she said.

"╬ think he was very confident in the ability of his own horse and when you are like that I suppose you can do those sorts of things that are out of the ordinary."

The race was promoted as a match-race between Pentiffic and Mazzacano and Wells revealed how conscious he was of Mazzacano's position in running.

"He jumped so clean and I was more handy than I wanted to be at the top of the hill because they kept running off the fence and I was jumping straight over them," Wells said.

"I was in front of him (Mazzacano) most of the way and it was just when he passed me at the top of the hill there and that's where he usually gets going.

"So I thought if I stayed within two lengths of him I'd pick him up in the straight which I did.

"He can quicken off the bridle which is something rare in a jumper these days."

Concerned with the amount of weight the six-year-old would receive, Houlahan would not commit to running Pentiffic in the $202,000 Grand National Steeple (4530m) at the same venue in a fortnight's time.

A trip to Japan for next year's Nakayama Grand Jump (4250m) in April is on the cards however Pentiffic is yet to receive an official invitation.

The three jumps races on the program were conducted without any major incidents.