CANDYMAN STAN is expected to build on an impressive Brighton handicap success over 1m4f. The Study Of Man gelding returned to front-running tactics, controlling the sectionals, before sauntering clear. He remains open to any amount of progress, with a 7lb rise potentially lenient. The quick ground is in his favour and he could prove hard to catch.

PUPPET MASTER can give Aidan O’Brien a Derby Trial winner. The son of derby-winning Camelot ran fourth in Group One company as a juvenile, prior to filling the same position in the G3 Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown on reappearance. The form of that contest is working out extremely well and he has the scope and pedigree to find improvement raised in distance.

GLENEAGLE BAY holds solid frame claims, following a good fifth reappearing at Curragh. The mile distance may have caught him out that day and he drops in trip here. He’s lightly raced, and with few miles on the clock, is relatively unexposed, against the majority of horses who we know where we stand with them. Hollie Doyle is an interesting jockey booking and she is currently among the winners (10 winners from 49 runners in the past fortnight).

BOSTON RUN could easily build on a promising course-and-distance second a fortnight ago. The Hugo Palmer-trained son of Churchill ran on strongly at the line that day, indicating he is close to a first win. First-time cheekpieces clearly helped him then and they are retained today. A big run is anticipated, with Tom Marquand a notable jockey booking.

WISPER has an excellent record fresh and has joined a yard who arrives in good form. The Belardo mare hasn’t scored since 2023 but has fine form on quick ground, with the promise of potential improvement now eased in class. It would be folly to dismiss her claims, in what appears a winnable handicap.

NORTHCLIFF chases a hat-trick after a pair of easy front-running victories on turf. Subsequently sold and switched yards, he arrives here aiming to win this race for the second year in-a-row. Up 7lb for his latest success, it would appear this is a tough test, but his useful claimer takes off a handy 5lb to negate such a rise in the weights.