DONCASTER’s November Handicap (3.45pm) on Saturday is the traditional end to the UK Flat season and is a race that is often run in attritional conditions.
This year may be different though with the unusually dry weather for the time of year meaning the ground is unlikely to be really testing on Town Moor.
With this being the end of a long season for many horses it can be hard to predict how much they have left in the tank, but there are a few in here that are lightly raced and could be well ahead of their handicap marks.
Castle Cove is a horse I respect after showing up well in four starts this season, beginning with a win at Chester in June.
He ran a good race to finish fourth over a mile-and-a-quarter at Sandown in August and then filled out the same position last time when stepped up in trip at Newbury.
My slight worry would be he’s not a horse that does anything very quickly and may be caught out now back in trip.
Ralph Beckett won this last season with Lord Melbourne, who looks set to defend his crown but arrives here 13 pounds higher having won perhaps too impressively for his own good at Epsom last time.
Carrying such a big weight might prove too much for him, but the yard still look to have a strong chance with the lightly raced MASTER VINTNER.
This three-year-old joined the Beckett team this season after running third to St Leger winner Scandinavia in a Navan maiden in May.
His two starts since have both been winning ones, when staying strongly on heavy ground at Goodwood and then making all to win in good style over this mile-and-a-half trip at Lingfield.
Considering his maiden form, and what some of the horses that finish in around him have done this season – Happy Pharoah finished fifth and has since won off a mark of 99 – Master Vintner looks well treated off an opening handicap mark of 92.
Having proven he goes on the ground and stays the trip, and the fact he could still be open to plenty of improvement, he’s worth supporting each-way at 10/1.
Earlier on the card there’s the Listed Wentworth Stakes (1.25pm) over six furlongs.
William Haggas’ MONTASSIB comes here much fresher than most having only had two starts this term to date.
He didn’t run badly in the Group One Champions Sprint at Ascot last month, finishing a never-nearer seventh on ground that was faster than ideal.
Now there’s been a bit more rainfall he makes plenty of appeal, and his claims are enhanced by the fact his two main market rivals, Spycatcher and Art Power, have to shoulder five-pound penalties.
That weight concession and the drop in class should see Montassib tough to beat, so he’s a strong fancy at around 2/1.
These late season sprints are notorious for throwing up strange results however, and VADREAM is one that I have my eye on at a massive price of 33/1.
Charlie Fellowes’ mare hasn’t recorded a win since the Palace House in the spring of 2023 but she hasn’t been running badly recently, and her effort behind Dubai Treasure at Newmarket last time was encouraging.
This easier ground will suit her, so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see her outrun her odds.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Montassib 1.25pm Doncaster
Vadream e/w 1.25pm Doncaster
Master Vintner e/w 3.45pm Doncaster