Ripon Rowels Handicap Stakes

English Oak ran second two starts back and arrives here fresh enough on 31 days' rest, with experience of today's distance and going working in his favour; the unplaced effort last time is the one mild reservation, but two wins in his last six starts underline the ability at the weight.

Winless in his last five starts and unplaced in three of them, Thunder Roar nevertheless carries a rating of 101 from stall seven over a trip and going he has experience of, making him a leading threat on paper — the chief concern is whether 87 days off the track has left him short of peak fitness.

Rated 94 and carrying 133 lb from stall six, Mirsky has experience of today's trip and conditions and returns fit on an 11-day turnaround, but his recent string of ninths makes it hard to see where the improvement comes from.

Mr Professor returns on a quick turnaround of just 12 days, has experience of today's trip and conditions, and his runner-up finish last time out makes him a live danger, with our rating of 93 underscoring his claims; the concern is he has been winless in his last five starts.

Racingbreaks Ryder has back-to-back wins two and three starts back, though he was well held in eighth last time out and carries 128 lb from stall nine; he has run over today's trip and going, giving him solid grounding, but that recent reversal is the obvious query.