PAUL Nicholls unleashed a new beast at Kempton as Solo routed his rivals in the Adonis Hurdle.
The French recruit was a warm order in the betting and hardly saw a rival as Harry Cobden steered the four-year-old home by 13 lengths.
The win shook up the betting in the Triumph Hurdle with 3-1 as good as youll get for the Grade 1 on the Friday of Cheltenham.
Zarkander was the last Nicholls horse to do the Adonis-Triumph double, but it was another Ditcheat legend in Master Minded that Solo reminded the trainer of.
Nicholls said of the 6-4 winner: Hes been a joy to train so far and has acclimatised very well since coming to us.
He strikes me as the model of Master Minded. A big lovely horse thatll make a hell of a chaser and thats what we bought him for.
But at the moment hes top of our juveniles and well head straight to the Triumph now where I imagine hell be fancied.
Hes bigger and scopier than Zarkander. We always thought hed be a nice horse but you never know until you run them.
Weve had horses from France before that have taken a while to get going but hes obviously done it well.
Hes still a colt but hes been a legend and takes his work very well.
With Goshen and Allmankind also flying the flag for the British, Nicholls thinks the race should suit with that pair happy to kick on.
He added: I told Harry to keep it simple today as he made all to win in France.
The Triumph Hurdle should suit him well though with the pace on, hell get a nice lead.
Hell be fine at the Festival too. Hes so laid back and is one for the future but is obviously a very smart, young hurdler too.
On what hes done today hed have to be the best juvenile around and theres no doubt today will bring him on a bit too.
Song For Someone triumphed in the re-arranged Kingwell Hurdle as Tom Symondss five-year-old gubbed both Chtibello and Diego Du Charmil late on.
The 11-8 favourite clattered the last but stuck on well to land the biggest win of the young trainers career.
Symonds said: Thats a huge one for us and were very lucky they re-arranged that so I owe the BHA one.
Any winner is important to us, but to win a Grade 2 is massive.
