Limerick

Hakensack has never raced on slightly soft ground before, so today's conditions at Limerick are uncharted territory for him. He ran a promising second here at Limerick 143 days ago, which is the most relevant form in his record, but his last two runs since then have been well beaten. Zero wins from ten races overall, and his response to this ground is genuinely unknown.

The market favourite and the subject of the race's editorial verdict, Another Challenge finished a solid second at Down Royal in December and the editorial view is that this longer 2m 6f trip at Limerick should bring out more. The concern is a 146-day absence since that run — nearly five months off — and this horse is still searching for a first career win from eight races. Potential is there, but punters are taking it on trust.

One of the most experienced horses in the race with 44 career outings, but that experience has yielded just a single win — roughly 1 in every 44 races, which is as thin as it sounds. His only win came on faster ground, and his record on soft or wet ground is a blank across 19 attempts in those conditions. At 8 years old and rated below the field average, this is a tough ask.

The only horse in this 14-runner field to have won at Limerick, with two victories from 17 races here — a course record that stands out sharply against rivals who are racing blind at the track. His recent form shows a run of placings and near-misses, and his record on soft or heavy ground includes a win, making today's slightly soft conditions less of a worry than for many others here. A new jockey today, but the course form is the strongest argument in his favour.