Dave Nevison's top tips for Thursday: Milliner ready to master rivals at Sandown

Two previous winners of this race – Air Raid and George Bowen - return to try to win this and at their best, both have very good chances of taking the prize again, but Admirality was the beaten favourite here last year and I think could make amends on Thursday.

It looks like he might have been primed for this as he has not really been knocked about in two runs so far and has improved for each outing. He has also been dropped below the mark he was successful on when scoring on his debut for the yard.

Things did not go right for him in last year’s race and he could well have been much closer. He has been fortunate this year as the top weight in Thursday’s renewal is 8lb below the class ceiling of the race and it is a less competitive affair.

Soft ground seems likely which will suit Admiralty well and Ben Curtis continues to impress.

This horse has a lot in his favour in this sprint and the booking of Oisin Murphy - who has won twice from three outings, including a win over course and distance almost a year ago, on Indian Raj – catches the eye.

The six-year-old ran a really good race last time despite drifting from favouritism and on a course that probably suits his running style less compared to Leicester and Sandown where he has run his best races.

The race looks like being run perfectly to suit him as he has a middle draw, with the burn-up horses drawn on his inside, so he should get the perfect tow into the race.

Off the same mark as last time and 3lb below his victory in July last year, he may be well in.

There are one or two in this field who might be getting ready for the jumps, the selection included, but I definitely think this four-year-old can make a real mark on the flat at this level before he makes the switch.

He simply looks a late maturing sort who has not been rushed and was showing the benefit of that with a good run on his handicap debut on final start last season.

Emma Lavelle has been among the winners and she has kept Rab Havlin on him for his first run for the stable, which looks significant.

The handicapper has raised Master Milliner just 1lb for that unlucky-in-running handicap effort and if all is well with him, that might look very generous in a few runs time.