Up and coming stayer Carnwennan, who has risen 22lb since recording the first of four wins from his last six starts, could still be ahead of the handicapper, his trainer Charlie Fellowes says as he targets the second running of the £100,000 Marsh Cup at Newbury on Saturday. Carnwennan earned another jump up the ratings when he ran out a three and a half lengths winner of the Northumberland Vase, the consolation race for the Northumberland Plate, at Newcastle last month.

And on his new mark of 94, a rise of 7lb, he could get the chance to test himself not only against the Plate winner Who Dares Wins this weekend, but also a host of other big race winning stayers, who include last year’s race winner Stratum, Making Miracles, winner of the Chester Cup in May, Ascot Stakes winner The Grand Visirand Withhold, who captured the 2018 Northumberland Plate and 2017 Cesarewitch.

Carnwennan, owned by Dr Vincent Kong, features among a 24-strong entry for the 2m handicap, which was run for the first time at Newbury last year.

Fellowes said: “We’ve got a very progressive horse on our hands, one that ran a quicker time with a bigger weight than the Northumberland Plate winner at Newcastle. I thought he looked very good last time. It was the first time I’ve been seriously impressed with him. He travelled, quickened up and put the race to bed very quickly. I think he was significantly superior to a lot of them. But this race sounds like a hot race, a cracker.

“My horse might still be ahead of the handicapper. I thought a 7lb rise was fair. I wouldn’t have been surprised if they had put him up a bit more. He has won on turf and he will love the track at Newbury. This was the obvious place to come. When I looked at the calendar it stuck out like a sore thumb as being a race that would really suit him.”

The Alan King-trained Who Dares Wins landed the Northumberland Plate on his next start after finishing second in the Chester Cup and his participation could depend on the weather.

Henry Ponsonby, manager of the HP Racing Who Dares Wins syndicate, said: “If we get any rain we will be running. He’s come out of the Northumberland Plate very well and the form has been franked very strongly with King’s Advice winning at Newmarket on Friday.

“He won’t run on good to firm but he will run on good. From my analysis there could be quite a lot of rain from Friday lunchtime onwards into racing. So, he will probably be declared as a runner and then we will just have to see.”

The Marsh Cup is part of a seven-race card which also features the £250,000 Weatherbys Super Sprint, the Group 3 Bet365 Hackwood Stakes and Listed Bet365 Stakes.

Legendary singer Tom Jones will take to the Party in the Paddock stage after racing to perform a 90-minute set. Grandstand tickets are still available to purchase by visiting newburyracecourse.co.uk