1

Chil The Kite

Top weight here having competed at a higher level and been placed in Group race company. He finished second in a hugely competitive Royal Ascot handicap, also over the straight 1600m, here in June. Not so good since but at his best he certainly has a chance and is versatile groundwise.

2

Empire Storm

Formerly trained in Germany he has been frustrating in that he has only won three of his 42 starts but finished second or third 19 times, usually against classy non-handicap opposition. And he was second last time out, looking likely to pull off a shock 40-1 win in a handicap over 1400m here this month, only for one rival to swoop by late on.

3

Piri Wango

Comes here from two of his best efforts, off big weights in good Irish handicaps. He came with a strong run over 1400m at Leopardstown last time and though he could never quite get there he was only beaten a length fourth of 18. Can handle soft but would prefer drying conditions.

4

Bronze Angel

From a stable currently in good form and he has contributed to that with a terrific performance last time, accelerating away from his 30 rivals to win one of the UK's top handicaps - the Cambridgeshire - for a second time. This distance is absolutely fine but there must be a ground worry with none of his six wins coming on soft conditions, expected here.

5

Heaven’s Guest

His six wins have all come over shorter than this, and he was disappointing on his only run over 1600m though his occasional jockey Ryan Moore has told the trainer he will stay this distance. He has run some big races at this track - winning a 1400m handicap here about a year ago and finishing third in the same competitive event in 2014 off a higher handicap mark.

6

Sirius Prospect

He has plenty of experience of Ascot, including winning here, though almost all his starts at this track have been over shorter even though he has won over 1600m elsewhere. He ran a good fourth of 15 over 1400m here last time out with the modest pace seeming to count against him though he was doing some good work at the end.

7

Gabrial's Kaka

Didn't run particularly well on his only previous start over this course and distance, hanging under pressure. He did beat a big field of handicappers over this distance at Newbury earlier in the season though there are ground worries for this challenge as, so far, he has not seemed at his best on a soft surface.

8

Belgian Bill

He was the 33-1 winner of the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot over this straight mile in 2013, a terrific performance. He hasn't performed as well since with higher handicap marks to handle and his rating still makes another big-race handicap win like this look difficult especially as the ground will surely be slower than his ideal.

9

Almargo

From a prolific winning stable though one who have had a quiet patch recently. This handicapper has a good winning strike-rate, landing six of his 18 starts though none of those victories have been on a soft racing surface which must be a concern for today. Sometimes a front-runner but he had to challenge late from a poor draw when a fine second at Leopardstown last month.

10

Bold Thady Quill

It is 22 races since he last won, but because this Irish challenger has put in quite a few good displays in that time his handicap rating has dropped disappointingly little. As a 33-1 shot he came a close third in a Leopardstown handicap two starts back but didn't show much when raiding a UK Listed prize over 1613m at Sandown last time.

11

Jack’s Revenge

It has been 19 runs since his last win but the fact that he's been second six times in that period tells of frustration for his supporters. On the figures his latest second - last time out at Newmarket over 1400m - was one of the best runs of his 36-race career. That was on fast ground, but he's won on soft.

12

Baraweez

Trained in the UK, but he has plundered two big Irish handicap prizes on his last two starts - at Galway and Leopardstown both over 1400m. No worries at all with this longer journey and he still looks neatly handicapped but the trainer says he is worried about very soft ground for a gelding who has so much speed.

13

Hawkeyethenoo

This veteran is trained in Scotland but is a regular at Ascot, having raced here 13 times. Although he has only once won here he did finish a close second in the G2 sprint over 1200m two years ago. He has run some perky races this season but there will be some stamina worries at this distance, despite a minor win over further way back in 2009.

14

Velox

Twice a winner from 11 starts and definitely with a bit of class about him, most recently when dead-heating for second in the 31-runner Cambridgeshire - one of the major UK handicaps - over 1800m at Newmarket last month. He looks suited to big field 'cavalry charges' and his trainer is quietly confident that he'll handle the ground.

15

Fort Bastion

He has only been with this stable - who are having an incredible season - for one start and it will be interesting to see what they can do with this guy who went off the boil after winning a handicap over this trip back in May.

16

Heavy Metal

A G2 winner as a two-year-old but often an in-and-out performer whose seven career wins have sometimes been unexpected after poor previous starts. However he did win two consecutive handicaps earlier in the season including over 1400m here - at odds of 33-1. His last two starts have also been here, quite well beaten each time.

17

Cornrow

From John Gosden's powerful stable and his trainer has been gentle on this four-year-old colt racing him just six times with his three wins all coming over this distance. He started favourite for the prestigious Cambridgeshire Handicap at Newmarket last time but ran out of gas in the closing stages perhaps failing to last the 1800m journey.

18

Abseil

Looked very classy after his first few starts and was a heavily backed favourite to win the Royal Hunt Cup over this course and distance at Royal Ascot in June with some believing he was near handicap certainty. He didn't have much luck in running but was still a bit disappointing there, also disappointing in three subsequent starts. He needs to bounce back.

19

Levitate

He did run a good fourth under a big weight in a 1400m handicap at this meeting last year, subsequently streaking clear in a Doncaster handicap. His handicap mark has been dropping steadily after some largely undistinguished runs since then but he showed some promise last time and might be well treated now, especially as he likes soft ground.

20

Georgian Bay

His two wins have come on an all-weather surface and he has also rarely competed at this trip, being more familiar with 1400m. Not obviously fanciable here though he did run one of his best races at this track when only beaten 3 ½ lengths in eighth in a hot 1400m handicap at Royal Ascot in June.

21

Russian Realm

He ran a good second over this course and distance in a handicap back in April, and a decisive winner at Goodwood in May - form which if he could repeat would give him a good chance here. His connections thought he'd be best on quick ground but the evidence is suggesting a preference for slow conditions.

22

Chatez

He has won three of his eight starts and they have all been over this sort of distance on soft ground, and, with his ability to quicken in these conditions, it is no great surprise that he is one of the favourites for this valuable new prize. He ran out of stamina over a longer trip last time.

23

Tigers Tale

Kempton's all-weather track is his favourite venue and he has only won a single race on the grass, though the ratings say that he is just as good on turf and he certainly ran well to finish sixth of 31 in the super competitive Cambridgeshire Handicap last time.

24

Maverick Wave

He won his first two starts and then ran decently in two tougher handicaps, though he did get nervous in the pre-race preliminaries on the latter occasion. However, despite being apparently well fancied, was never able to get competitive in the prestigious Cambridgeshire Handicap last time.

25

Buckstay

A tough cookie who comes from a stable in very good form right now. His latest start when fourth of 31 in the super-competitive Cambridgeshire Handicap over 1800m at Newmarket last month looked just about a career-best and, though he is yet to win from eleven starts on turf, that could change anytime.

26

Dream Walker

Without a win in nine starts this season though has run a couple of good seconds in handicaps over this distance. The ground was faster than he prefers on recent starts and expected soft conditions here will certainly be in his favour.

27

Farlow

A five times winner though none have come over as far as this, or on ground conditions likely to be as soft as this. He ran quite well in a 1445m handicap at Ayr last time, leading for some of the journey and then keeping on bravely when headed.

28

Askaud

It has been 16 races since she last won and nothing to suggest in recent starts that she's about to enter the winners' circle, especially in a race this strong. She has won minor races over both further and shorter than this distance.