Expert Analysis

Winners of this race are usually a bit behind those of the Champion Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup (dual winner Allaho aside) but Fact To File put up a top-notch performance to take this one with comfort, second only to Inothewayurthinkin in terms of achievement at the entire Festival.

The pace was pretty strong, though Fact To File was perfectly positioned just behind it, with others paying late on to varying degrees. His final 4f of 56.54s (105.1% finishing speed) was bang on par for the conditions and unsurprisingly produced a top-class overall time as well.

FACT TO FILE (c172+ here, 168 previously) was sent for this instead of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, having seemed to have his stamina taxed late on at 3m the last twice, and put it all together in most impressive fashion, travelling strongly just behind the strong pace before jumping on 3 out, soon in command and merely nudged out towards the end, his jumping notably good bar a small error at the last.

He will be a very tough nut to crack at around this trip, while having prospects of lasting the 3m of Kempton’s King George if conditions are not testing in that, the form he showed here a few lengths better than is usually required to win that.

HEART WOOD (c163 here, 158 previously) ran his best race yet, though there had been signs it might be coming, held up and some way back by halfway with the pace strong, improving steadily before hard at work 3 out then staying on in vain pursuit. He only just stays 3m but probably needed a decent test in this.

ENVOI ALLEN (c154 here, 162 previously) was not altogether discredited in a race he had won 2 years before, held up and a fair way back before halfway, improving steadily until after 3 out then outpaced but seeing out his race better than some of those around him. Now 11, he may not be quite as good as he was.

PROTEKTORAT (c152 here, 166 previously) goes well on soft/heavy ground and looked a lesser performer on good to soft here, quite close up until outpaced before 3 out and no extra late on.

MASTER CHEWY (c149 here, 156 previously) was ridden to get this longer trip but probably didn’t in a race run at a strong pace, held up before making some headway 4 out, one paced when clouting 2 out then fading out of contention for a place.

IL EST FRANCAIS (c145 here, 167 previously) seems to have 2 ways of running, sandwiching a heroic second in the King George at Kempton with being pulled up at Auteuil and this tame effort, jumping well and close up before leading at the 7^th, still going comfortably for a while after headed at the third-last but finding nothing late on.

DJELO (c145 here, 165 previously) ran a stinker, always well in rear and niggled from an early stage.

JUNGLE BOOGIE (c0 here, 156 previously) lasted in front only until halfway and back-pedaled after a couple of serious errors.

HANG IN THERE (c0 here, 159 previously) was always behind and in trouble by halfway.