Suraj can turn Silver into gold

The John Smith's Silver Cup (2.25 York) is a typically strong 15-runner handicap in which a case can be made for a number of the runners, but perhaps the most compelling of all can be built around the progressive Suraj, who sits neatly at the very bottom of the racecard.

Michael Bell's horse is the only three-year-old in the race, a fact that can be construed as negative for such an extreme test of stamina against older, more experienced horses.

However, at this stage of the season, the gap between the maturity of Suraj's generation and the older brigade begins to narrow quite rapidly and the receipt of a 15lb weight-for-age allowance in testing ground should not be underestimated.