Easy for Al at Taunton Al Ferof did as odds of 1/7 about him suggested as he outclassed inferior rivals in the European Breeders' Fund "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle at Taunton. Harry Skelton let the grey stride on with a circuit to race and it was pretty uncomplicated from there as the French-bred jumped well on the way to a twenty length dismissal of His Lordship. The former David Marnane-trained Kim Tian Road made a mistake at the last on her first outing for Martin Hill and she finished eight lengths further back in third. Al Ferof was making the most of a drop in class having contested a Grade 1 behind Backspin last time and of course he was a point-to-point and a bumper winner in his time with Liz Doyle before finishing second in the Cheltenham bumper for his current owner and trainer John Hales and Paul Nicholls.
