Wolverhampton

The second-shortest price in the market, yet the editorial verdict specifically names this horse as the one it's turning away from after it was well-beaten as a short-priced favourite last time out — that's a red flag worth taking seriously. The form does show some quality, with placed finishes in Class 2 races at Newmarket and Ascot, but this horse has now gone five races without winning and draws the widest stall in the field at 11. Cheekpieces and a tongue strap are fitted, suggesting the team are trying something different to unlock a win.

A 4-year-old who has raced three times without winning, though two third-place finishes show this horse is competitive enough to get into races without quite getting over the line. That consistent placing record counts for something, but at odds of 8.4 after drifting sharply in the market, the betting public aren't convinced this is the day it finally breaks through. Honest and consistent, but arguably outgunned here.

Another first-time runner with no form to assess, though the breeding from speed sire Hello Youmzain is worth noting for a race run over a mile — that's a slightly longer trip than you'd usually associate with that bloodline. At 6.5, Hozam is the third best-backed runner in the field, which suggests the trainer George Boughey is quietly confident behind the scenes. One to watch, but entirely unknown quantities carry obvious risks.

This horse has been absent for over 200 days — the longest break of any runner in the field — returning from what looks like an extended rest after just a single race back in the autumn. That one outing at this very course produced a fourth-place finish beaten less than 3 lengths, which is actually an encouraging starting point. The big unknown is how much the long absence will affect fitness, and that's a genuine concern at 15.0.