Head and shoulders the fastest dog in this race. Two consecutive seconds at A8 — leading deep into each race before being caught near the line, beaten a head and then half a length. His speed rating is the strongest in the field by a clear margin and he shows excellent early pace, consistently getting to the front and leading through the first few bends. The concern is the fade — he tends to weaken in the closing stages, which has cost him both times recently. But in a weak A8 field where nothing else is particularly quick, the question is whether anything can get close enough to catch him. The trap 4 draw is the worst at this grade (14.65%) which keeps the confidence in check, but the speed advantage is genuine.