Chester

The market favourite and the editorial first choice after the withdrawal of Alfaraz, Tornado Tower has just one run under its belt — a second-place debut at Nottingham — but the backing behind it suggests plenty of confidence from a trainer winning roughly 1 in 3 races over the last two weeks. With the least experienced field imaginable around it, a tidy debut second and the best-performing yard in this line-up make this a compelling first choice.

One of the most lightly raced horses here with just two runs to its name, and crucially this will be El Nay's first time racing on normal ground — both previous outings came on different surfaces. The jockey and trainer have won together roughly 1 in 8 times across over 1,000 races, which is a solid partnership, but there are too many unknowns to confidently assess where this horse fits.

Norman Invasion hasn't raced for six months — the longest absence of anyone in this field — and has never run on normal ground, so there are two big question marks heading in. On the plus side, its jockey is in sharp form, winning 4 from just 12 rides in the last two weeks, and that third-place run before the break showed modest promise.

The least experienced runner in the field alongside Sottsfield, with just one race to its name — a sixth-place finish beaten nearly five lengths at Nottingham. There is simply not enough evidence to make a case for or against, and at odds of 40.0, the market reflects that uncertainty honestly.