raced wide, tracked leaders, lost place 6th, reminders after 8th, soon behind
held upin last pair, jumped slowly 7th, pushed along and headway before 3 out, plugged on into modest 3rd and went right last
chased leaders, 2nd approaching 5th until before 7th, chase leaders, outpaced 4 out, no chance after
chased leaders, pushed along in 3rd before 2 out where mistake, driven and opne pace between last two, lost modest 3rd last
led, hit 8th, headed 2 out, chased winner, ridden and no impression between last two, kept on for clear 2nd
chased leader until approaching 5th, 2nd again after 7th until pushed along after 3 out, weakened approaching next
held up in rear, never involved
tracked leaders, 2nd after 3 out, led 2 out, clear between last two, stayed on strongly
REVE DE SIVOLA (NAP) bids for an historic four-timer in this Grade 1 and has his favoured soft ground again. The 10-year-old adopted his customary front-running role at Auteuil last month and showed he was no back number with a staying-on sixth. This will have been his target and he ran Saphir Du Rheu to a neck in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham back in January when conceding 4lb so has every chance of reversing that form with Paul Nicholls' World Hurdle runner-up, who reverts to the smaller obstacles after a spell chasing. Thistlecrack looks one to follow among the staying ranks this term as he readily picked off Deputy Dan in a Grade 2 at Newbury on his reappearance with Aqalim back in third. He won a Grade 1 at Aintree in the spring so looks a danger but smart chaser Dynaste has been a bit below par so far this winter and isn't an out-and-out stayer and this looks a big ask for Taglietelle and Karezak, who will have his stamina tested.
Aqalim 9-1 (11-0) Held up tracking leaders, niggled along 7th, reminder before next, driven and struggling in rear after 4 out, plugging on when hit last, kept on into modest 4th run-in, 4th of 5, 7l behind Thistlecrack (11-4) at Newbury 3m (1) sft in Nov.
Deputy Dan (IRE) 16-1 (11-0) Held up tracking leaders, 2nd approaching 5th, led after 8th, headed when bumped last, kept on same pace run-in, just held on for 2nd, 2nd of 5, 6l behind Thistlecrack (11-4) at Newbury 3m (1) sft in Nov.
Dynaste (FR) 11-2 (11-7) Tracked leaders in 3rd, one pace and no impression from 4 out, 3rd of 5, 19l behind Cue Card (11-7) at Haydock 3m (1) sft in Nov.
Karezak (IRE) 2-1 (10-7) Tracked winner throughout, not fluent 5 out, outpaced 3 out, no chance with easy winner in clear 2nd after, 2nd of 4, 19l behind Bristol De Mai (10-7) at Warwick 2m (3) gs in Nov.
Reve De Sivola (FR) 6-1 (10-10) 6th of 10, 6 1/2l behind Thousand Stars (10-10) at Auteuil 3m sft in Nov.
Saphir Du Rheu (FR) 9-2fav (11-12) Chased leaders on outside, went 3rd 11th (water), pushed along before 3 out, ridden before next, weakened last, 5th of 15, 21 3/4l behind Smad Place (11-4) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp (1) sft in Nov.
Taglietelle 16-1 (11-10) Held up, 6th halfway, ridden before 2 out, under pressure in 5th before last, kept on same pace into 4th at last, 4th of 7, 6 1/2l behind Arctic Fire (11-10) at Fairyhouse 2m 4f (1) sft in Nov.
Thistlecrack 7-2 (11-4) Held up tracking leaders, smooth headway into 3rd 3 out, 2nd before next, led and went left last, driven clear run-in, won at Newbury 3m (1) sft in Nov beating Deputy Dan (11-0) by 6l, 5 ran.
