After a third in better company at Chepstow, Lord County was only beaten a neck at Bangor and is a previous winner on heavy going over hurdles here. Alf 'n' Dor can be hard to catch right but has won at Plumpton and Ffos Las this year so makes more appeal than Irish raider Empresario and a regressive Grove Silver. VERY FIRST TIME (NAP) has slipped to such a low mark that he’s hard to oppose having his first run for Dan Skelton, even though the trip may be on the sharp side – he loves the mud.
Lord County (FR) 8-1 (11-9) Chased leaders, led 4 out, jumped left 2 out, not fluent last, hung left closing stages, headed and no extra close home, 2nd of 8, nk behind Steel Wave (11-1) at Bangor-on-Dee 2m 4f hcp (4) gd in May.
Empresario (IRE) 7-2 (11-11) Ww until sl prog in 4th aftr 3out, cl 5th well bef 2out, btn in 4th 2out, went 3rd cl hm, 3rd of 7, 4 1/2l behind Kruzhlinin (12-2) at Ballindenisk 3m gd in May.
Grove Silver (IRE) 11-1 (11-2) Led until mistake 1st and soon headed, led again 4th, headed 4 out, weakened quickly and pulled up before next, at Bangor-on-Dee 2m 4f hcp (4) gd in May.
Very First Time 4-1fav (11-8) Chased leaders, led 5 out, headed next, weakened 2 out, 6th of 9, 17 1/2l behind Inchcolm (11-4) at Newcastle 2m 7f hcp (4) gs in Apr.
Alf 'n' Dor (IRE) 7-2 (11-7) Tracked leader, not fluent 2nd, led after 5th, headed before 7th, led again approaching last, stayed on well, won at Ffos Las 2m 3f hcp (4) gd in Apr beating Farm The Rock (11-12) by 2 1/2l, 8 ran.
