CLASSIC is something of a course specialist, having gained form figures of 4192921 at the Esher venue. Despite being 10lb higher than when last successful at this track, he looked like there could be further progression after winning well at Newbury from a mark of 95 two starts ago. He is a hardy type who followed that winning performance up with a fair ninth at Royal Ascot - in what is always a fiercely competitive handicap. I can see him at least challenging for a placing, at attractive odds. 

TALLYCORAM is a four-year-old filly, who is lightly-raced. She won a Sandown maiden, prior to a lofty tilt in the Musidora last season. Although soundly beaten in that Group Three, she placed in Listed company afterwards. The daughter of Camelot clearly improved for a break, when running out a comfortable winner at Goodwood on reappearance in May. The 2nd has since boosted the form by scoring in a Pontefract Listed event. 

ELSASS is a three-time winner from 11 starts. The son of Sottsass had seemingly halted his progression, when downfield in a hot handicap at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course last October. However, given a break and subsequently gelded, his form improved dramatically, winning both runs over 1m3f this campaign. He comfortably scored at Southwell, prior to an impressive five-length win at Hamilton in May. Despite being raised in the handicap and upped in grade, it would be folly to entirely dismiss his claims - for a trainer who certainly is well known for improving middle-distance horses.

GETHIN is a rock-solid each-way contender, in this year’s renewal of the G1 Coral-Eclipse, run over 1m2f. The Owen Burrows-trained four-year-old delivered a highly-promising debut 2nd at this track, when beaten just a neck by subsequent G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes winner, Ombudsman. That was a clear career-best performance, for a horse having only his sixth start that day, and he has considerable scope for progress. I would be disappointed if he isn’t able to at least reach the frame.

I’LL BE BACK holds excellent claims of delivering a handicap debut success, following a pair of impressive victories. The Karl Burke-trained son of Lope De Vega was particularly eyecatching in a length-success over this distance at Leicester in April. The form of that novice event has worked out incredibly. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th were next-time-out winners, and even the 9th has won subsequently. A mark of 93 may prove lenient, given the success of those runners behind him, and I’m confident of a big performance.  

POINT OF CONTACT was a winner in this column last month, when bouncing back to winning form at York. The Blue Point gelding has plenty of stamina inherited from the dam’s side of his pedigree, who was a 1m2f winner and a half-sister to a Group Two scorer over 1m7f. A 3lb rise for that York win may underestimate his chance, granted that he may improve again over this longer trip, as an unexposed horse over middle-distances.