tracked leaders, not fluent 1st, left 2nd 4 out, closed from 2 out, every chance last, stayed on, no impression on winner final 75 yards
made all, jumped slightly right, ridden approaching 2 out, pressed last, stayed on well, in command final 75 yards
tracked leaders, not fluent 8th or 11th, left 3rd 4 out, ridden approaching 2 out, beaten when mistake last
tracked winner, hit 8th, hit 4 out and slithered on landing, not recover and well beaten after
held up, not fluent 6th or 7th, hit 8th and 11th, 5 lengths off winner in 5th when mistake 4 out, slipped soon after fence and bumped into rival, jockey nearly unseated, great recovery, not recover and well beaten after
chasing leaders when jumped slowly 1st, dropped rear when jumoed slowly again next, reminder after 7th, lost touch from next, tailed off
Solix wasn't very fluent when scoring on his chase debut at Ascot and also made mistakes when beating Sybarite over C&D last month. He'll have little latitude for error in this trying to give 7lb to SONOFVIC. Paul Nicholls' seven-year-old couldn't match the speed of Grands Crus on his chasing debut at Newbury but was only beaten two lengths and both the winner and fourth, Alfie Spinner, have franked the form since. Very lightly-raced, he looks the one to beat today. Invictus has done nothing wrong over fences so far but faces easily his stiffest task to date here, while Champion Court and Saint Are have already had their limitations exposed over the larger obstacles.
Solix (FR) Evensfav (11-5) Tracked leading pair, went 2nd 8th, hit 13th, challenged 3 out, led going well approaching 2 out, clear last, stayed on well, easily, won at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov chs (2) gd in Dec beating Sybarite (11-0) by 12l, 4 ran.
Champion Court (IRE) 5-2 (11-6) Held up in last pair, headway 16th, joined leading pair on outside 4 out, upsides when mistake next, outpaced before 2 out, soon no impression, 3rd of 5, 16l behind Join Together (11-9) at Cheltenham 3m 1f nov chs (2) gd in Dec.
Invictus (IRE) 7-4 (11-7) Settled in touch, jumped well throughout, chased leaders 5 out, smooth headway on inside to lead before 2 out, quickened clear approaching last, ran on strongly, impressive, won at Plumpton 2m 4f nov chs (3) sft in Dec beating Gift Of Dgab (11-7) by 10l, 5 ran.
Saint Are (FR) 11-10fav (11-1) Held up in touch, went 2nd before 13th, challenged 4 out and not fluent, led 3 out, ridden and headed 2 out, kept on run-in, 2nd of 6, 3/4l behind Harry The Viking (11-1) at Doncaster 3m nov chs (4) gs in Dec.
Sonofvic (IRE) 6-1 (11-2) Tracked leading pair, not fluent 8th (water), not fluent 11th and next, not fluent and lost place 14th, rallied to 2nd next, not fluent 2 out, ridden between last 2, no extra and held final 150 yards, 2nd of 4, 2l behind Grands Crus (11-9) at Newbury 3m nov chs Grade 2 (1) gd in Nov.
Sybarite (FR) 6-1 (11-0) Led, joined 3 out, driven and headed approaching 2 out, kept on same pace in clear 2nd, no chance with winner, 2nd of 4, 12l behind Solix (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov chs (2) gd in Dec.
