A vintage contest, including the winners of 3 Cheltenham Gold Cups, 3 King Georges and 2 previous Punchestown Gold Cups (to name just a few of the successes), but they were all shown a clean pair of heels by arguably the best chaser in training in recent times in Allaho, who set strong fractions and saw out this longer trip better than at times in the past to thrash his rivals with a performance right out of the top drawer. Few could get near his relentless gallop, a finishing speed of just 97.8% underlining that he had been going pretty fast earlier in the race.
ALLAHO (c181 here and previously) is a consummate chaser, just about the best around even taking into account the same owner’s A Plus Tard having won the Cheltenham Gold Cup by 15 lengths the month before and Energumene’s most authoritative 2m wins, his ability to see out 3m now in a way that was not the case previously opening up a whole load more opportunities for him to dominate good rivals. He made all, jumping left at times but otherwise economically, and really turned the screw from 3 out without much discernible effort, clear approaching the last, where he was a bit awkward, and staying on well for a few hits with the whip. He would take a huge amount of stopping in the King George Chase at Kempton in this form, though his stamina for a Cheltenham Gold Cup does remain in doubt.
CLAN DES OBEAUX (c170 here, 171 previously) is a very good chaser in his own right and came here in top form, but that proved to be nowhere near good enough against a force of nature like Allaho. He had to be rousted along leaving the start but was soon prominent and ensured Allaho had to go a good pace to retain the lead, making a mistake 4 out but still in with a chance of sorts until blown away after the second-last.
AL BOUM PHOTO (c168 here, 167 previously) ran as well as he has done lately, just a fraction below the form he showed in winning 2 ordinary Cheltenham Gold Cups, at the head of the main group from some way out but able only to keep on.
KEMBOY (c168 here and previously) was on a going day and might even have been second but for a blunder 2 out when disputing that position with Clan des Obeaux (had come from further back), unable to hold a candle to the winner all the same.
FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES (c164 here, 168 previously) was held up to get the trip but probably did not quite do so in a race run at an unrelenting gallop, his jumping rather sloppy late on also.
GALVIN (c162 here, 169 previously) has been a bit below his Savills Chase form in 2 runs since, again short of tactical speed when it mattered but not rallying as might be expected either.
TORNADO FLYER (c160 here, 169? previously) continues to look a little flattered by his King George win taken in the round, held up as usual and making only brief headway 3 out.
JANIDIL (c0 here, 164 previously) might not have got over his fall the time before and never figured before being pulled up.
MINELLA INDO (c0 here, 167 previously) no longer looks a trustworthy proposition, a couple of tame finishing efforts sandwiched between abject pulled-ups in the King George and now here.
