Sligo

The editorial verdict singles this horse out as the one to be on — and there is a compelling reason why. First Ascent showed real ability on the Flat and was pulled up on its hurdles debut when lame, meaning its jumping credentials are essentially untested through no fault of its own. Trained by Gordon Elliott, it is among the fancied runners at 8.8, and three top-three finishes in its career suggest genuine talent that this race gives it the chance to finally express.

Ten races, zero wins, but five placed finishes — this horse has a habit of getting close without delivering, including two runner-up finishes earlier in its career. The more recent form is less inspiring, with a 10th at Naas followed by a sixth at Gowran Park, suggesting it may be moving away from its best rather than toward it. Wears a hood, and at 6.8 it is one of the more fancied runners despite never having won.

Twenty races and still looking for a first win, but the second-highest official rating in the field tells you this horse has genuine ability — it just has not converted it into a victory. A third place at this exact course last time out, beaten less than 7 lengths, is the most relevant piece of form in its recent record. Returning after a 200-day break is a concern, but the Sligo form and the rating make this more interesting than the winless record suggests.

Only one race on the clock and no wins yet, but the big talking point is the trainer: Willie Mullins is the most powerful yard in Irish racing, and when he sends a lightly raced, unexposed horse to a race like this, it commands attention. This horse has never raced on normal ground before, so today is something of an unknown quantity — but Mullins has won roughly 1 in 9 of all his runners in the past two weeks, and his horses rarely run without purpose.