Balinaboola Steel heads this wide-open nineteen-runner contest at Bellewstown over two and a half miles on good ground, rated a clear eleven pounds ahead of the chasing pack, though the confidence here is modest given the size of the field and the competitive nature of the staying division. Avec Espoir represents the most obvious threat in second on ratings, with Cornaroya Rocco and Hatfield Hammer sharing third place and both capable of making their presence felt over this stamina-testing trip. The selection holds the edge on ratings and that marginal superiority is enough to side with Balinaboola Steel.