PUNCHESTOWN 14:00

All 10 ran. Fences: 12.

Time: 5m 24.7s Closing Sectional: (3.45f): 54.6s (100.3%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 116%, Betfair SP 101.2%

This looked a really deep renewal of this pre-Christmas highlight, the race on paper fit for a spring festival, featuring not only the wide-margin winners of the Ryanair and Melling but the exciting Envoi Allen, as well as a host of others who have proven themselves competitive at Grade 1 level; in the event, though, the race was a little bit of a let-down, Envoi Allen not coming up to scratch, Fakir d'Oudairies some way off his best and Asterion Forlonge departing when looking a big threat, while the omission of 3 fences in the back straight - the field having to slalom around them - played into the hands of those ridden handily, Allaho never headed.

ALLAHO (FR) made a successful reappearance - the first time he's done so in his career - to gain a second Grade 1 prize, not needing to be near his electric best with things in his favour (at an advantage in being ridden prominently and his apparent main rival departing when going well 3 from home), but this was still a very satisfactory start to his season given how much he's improved with racing for the past 2 campaigns (well-beaten sixth in this race on his return last year, for instance); led, jumped left sixth, again 4 out, left clear next, reduced advantage approaching 2 out, blundered there, tackled last, ridden out; he ran in the Savills Chase last year but he had a hard enough race here and his owners have A Plus Tard for that in any case, so perhaps the Irish Gold Cup might be a better stepping stone back to Cheltenham.

JANIDIL (FR) ended last season on the up and probably upped his game a little further after 7 months off, paying a handsome compliment to the hugely-exciting Energumene who'd thrashed him at the Festival here in the spring and kick-started his own season shortly after this at Cork; waited with, crept closer 4 out, headway when left second next, threatened approaching last, kept on; this was just his sixth run over fences.

MELON had lost his way in the spring but got back on track after 7 months off; in touch, effort 4 out, hampered slightly next and got in a bit of a tangle with Envoi Allen until after 2 out, took third approaching last, ran on.

FAKIR D'OUDAIRIES (FR) wasn't in the same form as at Clonmel, that impressive display in the mud seeming to have taken the edge off him slightly, liable to bounce back quickly; tracked pace, not fluent second, mistake 4 out, lost place before next, plugged on.

TORNADO FLYER (IRE) ran respectably after 9 months off, but he was never really in the race and isn't easy to place, now 2 years since he won the Klairon Davis as a novice, that his last success; soon steadied, pecked first, struggling 4 out, plugged on late.

ENVOI ALLEN (FR) was sent off favourite, having signalled his well-being at Down Royal on his return, but he just seemed to be found out tackling open Grade 1 company for the first time in his life, not jumping as well as he can and already starting to struggle when wanting to lug right in the latter stages; tracked pace, awkward first, not fluent eighth, ridden between 4 out and 3 out, hung right, no extra run-in; this clearly puts a dent in his potential but it's too soon to be writing him off as a contender for top honours just yet.

FRANCO DE PORT (FR) shaped as if better for the run after 7 months off, promise in the way he got into contention for a place; held up, crept closer before 4 out, blundered there, not fluent next, progress out wide home turn, effort flattened out.

KEMBOY (FR) should strip fitter for the run after 7 months off, unable to get near the front after skidding into the first and not knocked about after losing ground 4 out; he should be much closer to form in the Savills Chase, a race he won in 2018 and finished a close second in last year.

MINELLA TIMES (IRE) having his first start since winning the Grand National 8 months earlier, faced a stiff task in this grade but this was still far from the start to his season connections would have been hoping for, tailed off when falling heavily 3 out.

ASTERION FORLONGE (FR) was prone to a jumping lapse as a novice and saw his race end courtesy of another after 7 months off, looking a big threat to the winner at the time, ironically having jumped well to that point; handy on inner, loomed up after 4 out, virtually upsides when unseated rider next.