1

Hurricane Higgins

Has won over a marathon distance such as that, at Goodwood back in 2012 soon after which he went missing for over two years. He can't be ignored having shown that he was in sharp form by winning a decent event over hurdles last month.

2

Statutory

Didn't shine at Royal Ascot over even further than this in 2014. However he has generally looked to possess plenty of stamina and won the same conditions race at Pontefract over about 400m shorter than this for the second consecutive year last time. He led all the way that day.

3

Fun Mac

Likely to be one of the favourites having romped to a runaway 11 length victory on his only start this season, by far a career best. He also showed that he stayed at least 2800m that day.

4

Elishpour

From a very shrewd Irish stable who have won this marathon event before. His only wins on the Flat were some years ago when trained in France. He did, however, suggest that he might be coming into form with an encouraging run over hurdles last month.

5

Rhombus

The only time he has raced at Ascot before it was over a much shorter distance than this but he showed good acceleration to win over 3222m at Newmarket last August. He ran a fair first race of 2015 when the ground was faster than ideal so rain would be helpful.

6

Royal Irish Hussar

Most of his racing has been over hurdles - his trainer is a leading jumps trainer - and he should be sharper for a run over obstacles last month. He looks to be versatile groundwise.

7

Shwaiman

By no means disgraced when a 50-1 shot for the Gold Cup over this course and distance last year, though ultimately not good enough against the big guns in that G1 contest. He comes here fresh off some encouraging runs in minor hurdle races including a win last time.

8

Noble Gift

Has won over as short as 1400m and as far as 2400m so this 4000m is going to take him way out of his comfort zone. However his trainer believes that he is just an out-and-out galloper which is why this distance is being tried.

9

Handazan

His only win on the Flat has been over 2400m and he hasn't even run in a Flat race for 776 days. He's been quite busy over hurdles this year so should be fit enough but probably won't good enough.

10

Noble Silk

In his best form just over a year ago, showing a sharp change of gears to win a good Haydock handicap over 3200m. He didn't get the best of passages in a similar event also at Haydock last time, but will need to do a lot better here.

11

Lycidas

A lightly raced six-year-old who once spent nearly three years off the track. However he has been in great form lately and posted what was surely a career best when winning a York handicap last time, looking beaten but then suddenly kicking into gear. Up in distance but it might just suit him.

12

Ray Ward

Finished sixth of 19 in this race last year and may have finished a deal closer had he not been badly hampered on the final bend. He was not given a hard time over an inadequate distance on his only start this season and one can imagine that this has been his main target.

13

Broxbourne

Has plenty of stamina for this sort of race and during an excellent spell in 2013 she won over even further than this at Goodwood, looking stronger the further she galloped. She ran two fine races over hurdles back in April but hasn't been seen since. An interesting contender.

14

Clondaw Warrior

From the top Irish jumping stable who won this race a few years ago, and one can see why Clondaw Warrior will be fancied here. He has won at up to 3000m on the Flat and has been racing with gusto in some top handicap hurdles more recently. Bound to be fit for this task.

15

Asbury Boss

A lightly raced Irish-trained gelding with the figures suggesting that he has progressed race by race. Most recently he came close to landing a 20-1 surprise in a strong 3200m handicap at The Curragh, leading and then sticking on bravely when headed. He should be OK over this extra distance.

16

Big Thunder

Back in 2013 he progressed massively, winning five of his eight starts including a good handicap over 2400m at Ascot. However he eventually lost his way under much stiffer handicap marks and none of his recent starts have been very encouraging. Perhaps this longer distance will bring a revival.

17

Buckland

His five wins have all come on an all-weather surface and the fact that he is 0 from 22 on a grass surface is not very encouraging. He did run quite a close fourth over 3200m here last month but no guarantees that this extra distance will help.

18

Boite

Led a 2800m handicap at Goodwood at a ferocious gallop and the two rivals who managed to outgun him late on are really useful types. That was probably a career best performance on the Flat but some stamina concerns for this distance according to his pedigree.

19

Hardstone

Has never run a bad race and the way he kept finding extra for pressure when winning a handicap over 2400m on the sand at Dundalk on his penultimate start was really taking. He also appeared to have enough stamina for 3000m last time so perhaps another rise in distance may not be a problem.

20

Digeanta

A three-times winner on the Flat, he made a promising return to action in 2015 when a close fourth in a 3000m fast-ground  handicap at Leopardstown this month, an especially good effort as it had previously been thought that he was much happier on slow  ground.