The flat turf season finally comes to a close on Saturday with the November Handicap at Doncaster.
My record in this race was not great up until last year when William Haggas won it with Conduct (8-1). I wonder what ever happened to that horse? Saturday’s race looks the usual minefield of criss-crossing form lines with the possible exception of Luca Cumani’s Mount Logan.
I remember tipping this one last year in a two-year-old maiden and thinking that he looked like a stayer in the making. I was surprised when Cumani ran him in a Group 3 as a two-year-old but it did show that he must have thought something of him. He has been steady rather than spectacular this season, winning a couple of decent handicaps. He saved his best for his most recent outing when winning here in September. The handicapper has put him up 7lbs but he has the in-form Andrea Atzeni in the saddle and has avoided being drawn in the car park.
This race can be a real slog if conditions get really testing. The forecast is not that great for Thursday and Friday so we could see soft ground at the weekend. That would count against Peter Chapple-Hyam’s 40-1 Newmarket winner Farquhar who seems better on faster ground.
One piece of form that grabs my attention here is the victory of Latenightrequest at Haydock in September. Because Richard Fahey’s horse has gone on to win again here since, he faces a very stiff task at the weights with those that he beat at Haydock.
Alan Swinbank’s Dark Ruler is 15lbs better off for two lengths while runner-up Headline News and fourth-placed Kings Bayonet enjoy a similar weight pull. Headline News has since won at Newmarket while Dark Ruler won at Pontefract despite getting into traffic problems. The latter also has the advantage of having won on both of his previous visits here. If you fancy Dark Ruler it is impossible not to fancy Headline News too as he is 12lbs better off for a short-head.
Old Town Boy looked all out to win a competitive event at York last time and may be anchored by his 6lbs penalty. Rhombus was favourite for this a year ago and disappointed and never looked likely to stay the Cesarewitch distance. Communicator is having his third crack at this prize having finished runner-up in 2012 and fifth last year. He will probably run well again but is drawn 22.
Mount Logan @10-1 William Hill
Dark Ruler @22-1 Betfair
Headline News @16-1 Totesport
Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4
