Verdict

In a contest as desperate as this is it might be worth giving Kock De La Vesvre one more chance. A winner in his native France, the son of Sassanian showed enough on his British debut for Venetia Williams when second to Barito at Plumpton over 2m4f to suggest a race of this nature would be well within his compass. The drop to today's trip should not inconvenience the five-year-old, who ruined his chance last time with one sloppy mistake. Granted a clear round, he should be too good for his rivals here. Another French import, Enzo De Baune, cut little ice in the provinces and is probably best watched on his debut in this country, while the Australian-bred Greenkeys has not shown much in the UK so far. Jorn Du Soleil, a winner of a non-thoroughbred Flat race in France has to be respected for trainer Micky Hammond but makes less appeal than Fred's In The Know. He was the beat of these over hurdles and lost no caste in defeat on his chasing debut when finding just Logon Intersky two lengths too good at Catterick and should win races. Michael Finnegan looks out of his depth, even in this company.