held up towards rear, steady headway 9th, tracking leaders 13th, pushed along after 4 out, driven into 3rd after 2 out, went 2nd final 100 yards and kept on, always held
took keen hold, held up in touch, pushed along before 13th (water), headway disputing 2nd 3 out until before next, chased leaders, ridden and weakened last
jumped slowly 1st, chased leaders, lost place 14th (water), blundered 17th, no chance when mistake and weakened 3 out, well beaten when went right last
held up towards rear, not fluent 10th, hit 16th, headway before 3 out, chased leaders 3 out, 2nd before 2 out, led last, driven and stayed on gamely run-in
led until 11th, chased leader until weakened before 3 out
chased leader, led 11th, ridden and headed last, chased winner until final 10 yards, kept on same pace in 3rd
chased leading pair, went 2nd briefly before 3 out, weakened quickly soon after, tailed off
last pair in rear and jumped badly left from 10th, tailed off and pulled up 16th
held up towards rear, pecked 3rd (water), headway tracking leaders 9th, pushed along before 2 out, driven and one pace between last 2, went 4th last, kept on in closing stages
Nonrunner
Menorah won this last year, when Rolling Aces was a well-beaten fourth. Philip Hobbs' charge has been campaigned at the highest level since winning the Charlie Hall at Wetherby in November and, though behind Al Ferof in the King George at Kempton in December, a repeat isn't out of the question. Al Ferof is a classy chaser but has done most of his winning on slower surfaces. The mare Pepite Rose was second in the Grade 1 on this card 12 months ago but will have to prove her stamina over this trip and weakened quickly last time at Cheltenham. ARGOCAT (NAP) gets genuine good ground for the first time since finishing third to Silviniaco Conti in a Grade 1 at Aintree last year when Menorah was only fifth. Lightly-raced this season, he could be a bit of value in this having finished second in a Grade 2 on his latest start.
Al Ferof (FR) 11-2 (11-10) Tracked leader to 8th, in touch, ridden and outpaced before 4 out, weakened 2 out, 5th of 10, 36l behind Don Cossack (11-10) at Aintree 2m 4f chs G1 (1) gd.
Argocat (IRE) 11-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, ridden in 4th when mistake 3 out, moderate 3rd next, went moderate 2nd at last, kept on without reaching winner run-in, 2nd of 8, 4l behind Felix Yonger (11-10) at Navan 2m 4f chs G2 (1) hvy in Mar.
Home Farm (IRE) 100-1 (11-10) Towards rear, under pressure when blundered 15th, soon weakened, pulled up before 5 out, in a race won by Coneygree (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m 2f chs G1 (1) sft in Mar, 16 ran.
Menorah (IRE) 7-1 (11-7) Chased leaders on outside, pushed along after 13th, mistake 15th, soon outpaced, weakened after 2 out, blundered last, 5th of 7, 24l behind Silviniaco Conti (11-7) at Aintree 3m 1f chs G1 (1) gs.
Rolling Aces (IRE) 7-1 (11-7) Chased leaders, hard ridden after 3 out, no impression and one pace next, 4th of 13, 11l behind Splash of Ginge (10-9) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp chs G3 (1) gs in Jan.
Third Intention (IRE) 66-1 (11-10) Chased leaders on inside, lost place before 4th, well beaten 4 out, 10th of 14, 38l behind Uxizandre (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m 5f Grade 1 chs (1) gd in Mar.
Rebel Rebellion (IRE) 33-1 (10-12) With leader, led 4th, headed briefly after 16th (water), headed when hit 18th, lost place 22nd (2nd bechers), tailed off when pulled up after 6 out (2nd valentines), in a race won by Many Clouds (11-9) at Aintree 4m 3f hcap ch Grd 3 (1) gs, 39 ran.
Off The Ground (IRE) 12-1 (11-9) Held up in rear, outpaced 4 out, never able to challenge, 5th of 7, 17l behind Royal Regatta (11-7) at Doncaster 2m hcp chs 0-150 (2) gs in Jan.
Pepite Rose (FR) 10-1 (11-8) Tracked leaders, close up 8th (water), outpaced 3 out, ridden and no impression before last, 6th of 11, 21l behind Anay Turge (10-4) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp chs G2 (1) gd.
Raajih 25-1 (10-7) Held up towards rear, headway 2 out, ridden before last, kept on same pace, 4th of 10, 2l behind Duke Of Lucca (10-4) at Aintree 3m 1f lstd hcp chs (1) gd.
