1st - €81,000.00 2nd - €38,025.00 3rd - €19,020.00 4th - €9,510.00

Formscan - Fresh from landing the Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting last week, Sir Mark Prescott aims to bag another big staying handicap with the hugely progressive TROOPER BISDEE. Typical of how the yard can get horses to continue their improvement up the handicapping ranks, the four-year-old made the cut when making it four wins from his last five starts at Pontefract on Sunday, thus giving him the 5lb penalty required to get in the line-up. The manner of that victory also suggested he would be rated a good deal higher if the handicapper had a chance to reassess him and the son of Australia commands the utmost respect. Zoffee is 4lb higher than his Chester Cup success and entitled to be in the mix, but it would be no surprise if Duke Of Oxford, who ran moderately on that occasion, were able to reverse form, especially back on the all-weather. Local trainer Brian Ellison has always wanted to win this contest and the North Yorkshire handler is represented by top-weight Tashkhan, who isn't handicapped out of things based on his Cesarewitch third, and Onesmoothoperator.