Verdict

This is wide open but Stand Guard, who beat Chookie Hamilton only a neck at Wolverhampton last week, carries a penalty as does recent C&D winner Focail Maith. The latter beat Standpoint and Beat Route last time but both Miss Blink and Sherman McCoy have tumbled down the weights and posted better efforts on their latest starts. The vote goes to ORDENSRITTER, well beaten in a couple of outings over hurdles for Chris Down but twice a winner on the Flat in his native Germany and placed on the all-weather at Deauville last year.

Formwatch

Stand Guard 7-1 (10-0) Close up, headway to chase leaders over 2f out, switched right 1f out, driven and stayed on to lead final strides, won at Wolverhampton 1m 6f hcp 0-75 (5) pol beating Chookie Hamilton (9-6) by nk, 8 ran.

Focail Maith 6-1 (9-4) In rear, wide into staight 2f out, headway approaching final furlong, edged left and led inside final furlong, driven out, won at Lingfield 1m 4f hcp 0-85 (4) pol beating Noble Silk (9-2) by hd, 9 ran.

Standpoint 40-1 (9-5) Towards rear, headway when short of room approaching final furlong, squeezed through, ridden and stayed on to go 3rd post, 3rd of 9, 2l behind Focail Maith (9-4) at Lingfield 1m 4f hcp 0-85 (4) pol.

Beat Route 7-1 (9-3) Keen held up, ridden 3f out, no impression final 2f, eased inside final furlong, last of 9, 7l behind Focail Maith (9-4) at Lingfield 1m 4f hcp 0-85 (4) pol.

Winning Spark (USA) 25-1 (9-8) Held up towards rear, some late moderate headway, 8th of 13, 10l behind Layali Dubai (9-4) at Lingfield 1m 2f hcp 0-75 (5) pol in Nov.

Flying Trader (USA) 10-1 (9-7) Always towards rear, 10th of 11, 14l behind Instrumentalist (9-2) at Wolverhampton 1m 6f 3yo hcp 0-80 (4) pol in Oct.

Sherman McCoy 8-1 (9-7) Raced wide close up, ridden over 3f out, headway over 1f out, chased winner approaching final furlong, kept on, 2nd of 8, 2 1/4l behind Cape Safari (9-1) at Southwell 1m 6f hcp 0-80 (4) fbs in Aug.

Ordensritter (GER) (9-4) 2nd of 7, 6l behind Godot (8-11) at Mulheim(GER) 1m 3f stk gd in May.

My Guardian Angel 5-1 (9-5) Tracked leading pair, pushed along 4f out, ridden and weakened over 2f out, last of 7, 31l behind Sammy Alexander (9-13) at Newmarket 1m 2f hcp 0-75 (5) gf in Aug.

Chookie Hamilton 5-4fav (9-6) Tracked leaders, went 2nd 3f out, led inside final furlong, driven and headed final strides, 2nd of 8, nk behind Stand Guard (10-0) at Wolverhampton 1m 6f hcp 0-75 (5) pol.

Miss Blink 22-1 (9-3) Mid-division, outpaced over 4f out, headway over 1f out, stayed on well, 4th of 12, 2 1/2l behind Boa (9-0) at Wolverhampton 1m 4f hcp 0-75 (5) pol in Nov.

Port Charlotte 9-1 (9-2) Held up towards rear, headway over 3f out, ridden over 2f out, stayed on same pace inside final furlong, 6th of 11, 4l behind Peachez (9-5) at Wolverhampton 1m 4f hcp 0-70 (5) pol in Oct.

Any Given Dream (IRE) 4-1 (9-7) Soon led, ridden over 2f out, headed over 1f out, soon hampered, weakened, last of 4, 8l behind Welsh Bard (8-13) at Wolverhampton 1m 6f 3yo hcp 0-70 (5) pol in Sep.