The clear market favourite and the standout on form in this field — Redbarn has won one and finished second in the other of its two races, a record no other runner here can come close to matching. Harry Skelton rides, and he and trainer Dan Skelton have combined for over 540 wins together, making this one of the most formidable partnerships in the sport. The second-place finish at Stratford just 15 days ago shows this horse is fit and firing.
Lightly raced (2 career races)Market favourite (2.58)
Another debutant, but this one comes with a powerful team behind it — Sean Bowen is one of the top jockeys in the sport, and he and trainer Olly Murphy have combined for over 320 wins together, which is a serious strike. The breeding through Order Of St George points to a horse built for stamina, which fits the two-mile trip well. Of all the first-timers in this race, this one has the strongest combination of jockey, trainer, and pedigree.
A debut runner at 4-1, making it the second-shortest price in the field behind Redbarn — that is a notable level of market support for a horse with no race record whatsoever. Harry Cobden is a top-class jockey, and the fact he is riding a first-time-out horse at those odds suggests there is genuine expectation from the camp. The breeding through Soldier Of Fortune and Old Vic points to a horse that will stay, which suits this two-mile trip.
This horse has the longest absence in the field — off the track for 247 days — and returns having finished seventh on its most recent outing, beaten over 20 lengths. Two races, no wins, no placed finishes, and now a significant layoff to overcome: the stats here are working against it. Wearing a hood for the first time suggests the team may be trying something different, but this is the biggest question mark in the race.
Lightly raced (2 career races)Absent 247 days (longest in field)
Another debut runner, but trainer Tom Lacey and jockey Stan Sheppard have a solid working relationship with over 120 wins from 666 races together — roughly one win in every five. At 11-1, the market gives this horse a more realistic chance than most of the other debutants in the field. There is no form to analyse, but the team behind it has a track record worth respecting.
Making its debut for trainer Jamie Snowden, who has saddled over 200 winners with jockey Gavin Sheehan — roughly one in four races together, which is a strong record. At 9-1, the market puts this among the more fancied of the many first-timers in the race, and Snowden's yard has been in good form this season. There is no form to go on, but the trainer-jockey combination alone makes this one worth watching.
One race, one fifth-place finish, no win and no place — that is the entire record for this five-year-old, who is back on the track just ten days after that sole outing. The jockey and trainer have tried ten times together without a win between them, which adds little confidence. In a field packed with debutants, having any experience at all counts for something, but this horse has yet to show it can use that edge.
This five-year-old has never set foot on a racecourse before, so there is absolutely nothing in the form book to work with. That makes it one of several complete unknowns in this field, though at five it is older than most of the debutants here, which sometimes means a horse is more mentally ready for the experience. The sire Westerner produced tough, long-distance types, which at least suggests the two-mile trip should suit eventually.
Four years old and making a debut, On The Fly arrives with no form at all and a jockey-trainer combination yet to win in two attempts together. The breeding through Free Eagle leans more towards flat speed than staying power, which makes the two-mile trip here a potential question mark. There is very little to separate this from the other first-timers on what is known.
A four-year-old making its debut with no race record to speak of, and at odds of 81-1 the market is not expecting much. The jockey and trainer have tried eight times together without a winner. Purely on what is available, there is very little reason to single this one out from the other debutants in the field.
One race, one ninth-place finish, beaten 35 lengths — Pearl Cove's sole outing to date was a difficult introduction, and the 151-1 odds reflect just how hard it is to make a case here. The jockey-trainer combination has no wins from two attempts together. Of all the runners with any race experience in this field, this is the one the form book is least kind to.
How do odds work?The first number is what you win, the second is what you bet. So 5/2 means you win £5 for every £2. 4/1 means you win £4 for every £1. The bigger the first number, the less likely bookmakers think the horse will win — but the more you'd win if it does.