towards rear, reminders 8th, ridden and mistake 5 out, pulled up 3 out
in touch, ridden and weakened 5 out, pulled up next
tracked leader, led 3rd, headed 5th, tracked leaders, ridden and weakened 5 out, pulled up 3 out
keen held up, headway 4th, tracked leaders 7th, weakened 5 out, pulled up next
raced wide close up, ridden and weakened 4 out
in rear, headway 13th when bumped and nearly unseated rider, left in lead 4 out, clear 2 out, readily
tracked leaders, not fluent 13th, chased winner when hampered 4 out, blundered next, kept on same pace
in rear, headway 5 out, outpaced from 4 out
led, jumped right 9/10, jumped badly right 4 out and fell
Argot was last seen in May 2019 but Rocklander won a point at High Easter last March and has been successful four times under Rules. Alan Hill boast a pretty good strike-rate in hunter chases and GETTING CLOSER (NAP) has won three times between the flags, most recently at Wadesbridge in December. He gets the nod ahead of Dubai Quest, who rattled up a hat-trick in points in the early part of last year but may just need this.
Beau Sancy (FR) (11-7) (tt) chsd ldrs til wknd 3 out; t.o & pu last, at Maisemore Park 3m gs in Oct.
Mercers Court (IRE) 100-1 (11-10) Midfield, lost ground 8th, tailed off when pulled up before 9th, at Southwell 3m hcp (4) gs in Nov.
Pass The Hat 8-1 (12-8) Tracked leaders, quickly pulled up before 8th, at Bangor-on-Dee 2m 4f (6) sft in Feb.
Argot 13-8 (11-0) (v) (xnb) 2nd til led 9; rdn 4 out; r.o wl (rdr's 100th p-t-p wnr), won at Sedgefield P-t-p Course 3m gf in May beating Wizadora (10-6) by 3/4l, 3 ran.
Chapelier (IRE) 40-1 (11-12) Led and soon well clear, reduced lead 10th, headed before 2 out, chased leader until ridden before last, no extra run-in, 4th of 5, 3 1/4l behind Full Irish (11-12) at Fakenham 3m (5) gd in Mar.
Dubai Quest (IRE) 1-3fav (12-0) Hdwy to ld 10; drew clr app last; easy, won at Dalton Park 2m 6f sft in Mar beating Supreme Steel (12-0) by 11l, 4 ran.
Getting Closer (IRE) 6-4fav (12-0) (tt) hdwy 5; jnd ldrs 12; led final 50yds; just held on, won at Wadebridge 3m gs in Dec beating Waterloo Warrior (12-10) by hd, 11 ran.
Popelys Gull (IRE) 33-1 (11-9) (5a) a bhnd; t.o & pu 13, at Cottenham 3m gd in Feb.
Rocklander (IRE) 11-10fav (12-0) A.p; led 13; drew clr 2 out; comf, won at High Easter 3m gd in Mar beating Thetalkinghorse (12-5) by 5l, 12 ran.