The market favourite, and it's easy to see why — a second and then a win from just two races is a tidy record for any young horse. Like Mr Macartney, though, he has only raced on artificial surfaces and has never been tested on normal turf, which is a real unknown at Newmarket today. Oisin Murphy in the saddle adds a touch of class, but the drifting odds hint at some uncertainty.
Never raced on normal groundLightly raced (2 career races)Market favourite (5.1)
The editorial verdict singles Ballisty out as the one to beat, which is notable for a horse who has only one run to his name and hasn't won yet. That single outing produced a third-place finish, showing he can compete, and his draw in stall 3 is the best in the field given Newmarket's strong bias towards low draws at this distance. Jockey Dylan Hogan and trainer Jack Jones have combined for 35 wins together, suggesting a team that knows how to get the job done.
Stepping onto a racecourse for the first time, so there is genuinely nothing to go on from the form book. Trainer Eve Johnson Houghton and jockey Charles Bishop have combined for 102 wins together — one of the more experienced pairings in this field. The high draw in stall 14 is a disadvantage at this course, where low draws dominate.
Another horse making his racecourse debut with no form to judge him on, but trainer George Boughey is worth noting — he and jockey Jack Callan win roughly 1 in 5 races together, a strong record. By Mohaather, a miler, so whether 6f is the right trip first time out is a fair question. The market has him at 12/1, which suggests some quiet confidence from those in the know.
Like Ballisty, Duidin has one run under his belt and a third place to show for it — but that run came on an artificial surface at Kempton, and today's normal turf at Newmarket is different ground entirely. He sits in the middle of the draw at stall 10, which the stats suggest is not ideal here. Hard to get excited about at this stage.
Never raced on normal groundLightly raced (1 career races)
Already a winner from just two races, Mr Macartney broke through at Leicester 20 days ago and arrives here in form. However, he has only raced on artificial surfaces so far, meaning today on normal turf at Newmarket is genuinely new territory for him. The odds drifting sharply suggests the market isn't convinced he can replicate that form here.
Never raced on normal groundLightly raced (2 career races)
A complete unknown stepping onto a racecourse for the very first time, so there is no form to assess whatsoever. The pedigree is eye-catching — by Cracksman, a seriously talented sire — but breeding only tells you so much on debut day. At 21/1, the market isn't expecting much from this first run.
A first-time starter, so there is no form to work with, but the draw in stall 1 is as good as it gets at Newmarket over 6f given the strong low-draw advantage here. Sire Acclamation was a top-class sprinter known for passing on raw speed, which suits the trip. Trainer James Owen and jockey David Probert have won 2 of their 3 races together — a small but perfect record.
Two races in and Turnstile has gone fourth, then third — a horse that's improving with each run and closing in on a first win. The draw in stall 7 is reasonably placed given the low-draw advantage at this course. Trainer Tim Easterby and jockey Sean Kirrane are a well-drilled combination with 83 wins together, so there's experience in the team even if the horse is still learning.
A debut runner with no form to judge, by Mondialiste — a horse better known for middle distances — which raises a small question about whether pure speed over 6f is guaranteed to be there first time out. Stall 6 is a reasonable position. The 19/1 odds reflect the unknowns surrounding any first-time starter.
A first-time starter by Kodiac, who is one of Britain's most dependable sires of fast, sharp two-year-olds — the 6f trip looks an obvious fit on pedigree. Stall 4 is a decent draw given the low-draw bias here. Everything else is unknown until the gates open, but the breeding at least points in the right direction for this type of race.
The only horse in this field to have already raced at Newmarket, though her debut here 12 days ago resulted in a seventh-place finish, beaten nearly 12 lengths. She has also never raced on normal turf — that Newmarket run was on the same course but different conditions — so the step up in competition and a tough ask all round makes a big improvement hard to predict. At 36/1, the market reflects those concerns.
Never raced on normal groundLightly raced (1 career races)
A first-time starter with nothing in the form book to go on, making an honest assessment almost impossible. His sire Bungle Inthejungle was a quick, sharp sprinter, so the 6f distance at least looks like it could suit in theory. Stall 12 is a concern given the strong low-draw bias at this course and distance.
A 10th-place finish on debut at Kempton 15 days ago is the entire form record here, and at 67/1 she is a clear outsider in a field of 14. She has only raced on an artificial surface so far, meaning normal turf at Newmarket is uncharted territory. The high draw in stall 14 adds another difficulty on a course that heavily favours low-drawn horses.
Never raced on normal groundLightly raced (1 career races)
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.