Hexham

The market has made this the favourite despite a concerning official record — two races, both ending in a pull-up, and a near year-long absence from the track. The editorial verdict calls it the standout pick based on point-to-point form, which is racing over fences on private land and doesn't show up in the official figures here. That hidden form is clearly what the market is buying into, but punters should note this horse hasn't completed a race in over 12 months.

Eagles Rock is one of the more intriguing runners despite never winning — both of its career races have ended in second place, including a run at Kelso just three days ago. Racing again so quickly after that effort is unusual and worth noting, as most horses are given more recovery time. If it can finally convert one of those near-misses into a win, the form figures suggest it has the ability, but it has been knocking on the door without answering it.

Peaceinthevalley arrives as the highest-rated horse in the field by a clear margin, but that rating was earned in Ireland and the recent form has been patchy — an eighth at Naas and an unknown result at Limerick are not the builds-up you'd hope for. Crucially, this horse has never raced on normal ground conditions like today, so how it handles Hexham is an open question. Eight races without a win means the ability to close the deal remains unproven.

Two races, no wins, no places, and a nine-month absence to overcome — Whatudoing faces a stiff challenge on paper. A fourth and a fifth from those two runs at least show it can get around a track and finish, which puts it ahead of some rivals here, but it has never threatened the front. Returning from a long break at a course where it finished fourth last time makes progress hard to predict.