Hose Thorns Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:26 | Winning time: 5m 6.90s

Alf 'n' Dor^b,t⁴^{(ex 7)}

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: S Bowen| T: P & M Bowen| OR: 100| D

2/1

Back in better form with a 3½L win at Plumpton (2m3½f, good to soft) at the weekend. Acts on good, and looks to have been found a good opportunity to follow up under a penalty.

Form: 262651

Ken's Well^t1⁸²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: James Davies| T: Miss J S Davis| OR: 105| D

17/2

Made a promising chase debut at Wincanton (2m4f, good) in October 2017. Well below that level in both starts in October, having had wind surgery in-between. On a very handy mark if a tongue strap can help him to bounce back.

Form: 2214-77

Blue Bullet^p,t²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 104

4/1

Has shown his best form on softer ground. Pulled up latest at Bangor (2m1½f), but had run respectably on chase debut at Lingfield (2m4f) prior to that. Not written off, but we need to see more over fences.

Form: 8662-4P

Market Road^p,t³⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 103

5/2

Yet to win on ground faster than good to soft. Won from both 1lb lower and 1lb higher last winter, but not in quite the same form of late, leaving him with a fair bit to prove at present.

Form: U-4UP42

Nomination Game^h³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: J E Moore| T: R Dickin| OR: 93

9/2

Improved on his hurdles form when making his debut over fences at Ludlow last month (2m4f, good to soft). Drops 4lb, but further improvement needed.

Form: 6-P6435

Forecasts

Alf 'n' Dor (2/1), Market Road (5/2), Blue Bullet (4/1), Nomination Game (9/2), Ken's Well (17/2)

There's something to prove for all five runners here, but ALF 'N'' DOR arrives in the best form of the quintet and is taken to back up his Plumpton win from Sunday under a penalty. Should this come too quickly for him, Ken's Well might be able to take advantage of a very handy mark, with Blue Bullet the other most attractive runner in terms of potential contenders.