The Group Three Acomb Stakes (2.25pm), the first pattern contest of the week, opens Day One of the York Ebor Festival with a field of 11 runners set to go to post.

Unsurprisingly, it is Ballydoyle who supply the current favourite in HAFFNER, who arrives on the back of a narrow defeat, having just been touched off in the Group Two Vintage Stakes at Goodwood. That form gives him a proven piece of stakes-level experience in a race that often highlights juveniles with Group-race potential.

While Haffner holds a good chance, the selection at a bigger price is TREAN from the Paddy Twomey team. The colt finished an eye-catching third on debut when well backed, only to disappoint next time up at the Curragh. He righted that wrong in style on his latest start, running out a dominant winner of a warm maiden at the Galway Festival.

Looking every bit up to this level, Trean is fancied to take a big step forward, as Twomey's runners can never be ignored when the trainer brings one over to the UK in this company. In a race that can shape the early two-year-old picture for the rest of the week, he is considered well worthy of a Win play with World Pool, which could yield lucrative returns, and a World Pool Quinella is also advised.

As flagged, Haffner's chance is a clear one and he is a solid option for any sort of exacta, but GENTLE HURRICANE is also thrown in as a runner who could outrun likely big odds. Trainer Andrew Balding won this race last year with a similarly campaigned horse in Gewan, who ran here following a winning debut before going on to win the Dewhurst. Gentle Hurricane must step up to replicate those achievements, but he made a good impression at Salisbury and looks worth perming up with Trean and Haffner.

POINTERS – WEDNESDAY

• Trean (Win), 2.25pm, York Ebor Festival
• Trean, Haffner, Gentle Hurricane (Quinella), 2.25pm, York Ebor Festival