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SATURDAY’S November Handicap from Doncaster is the traditional curtain closer to the domestic Flat season.
This meeting is often run in attritional conditions but with the dry weather we’ve had all summer, the ground may be unseasonably quick on Town Moor this weekend.
My main bet on the card comes in the Listed Wentworth Stakes (2.10pm), where I think COUL ANGEL can land a hat-trick of wins on ground conditions that should be ideal for him.
Mick Appleby’s gelding has proven himself to be highly progressive in his last two starts, winning a competitive handicap at the Curragh by nearly three lengths and then landing another nice handicap pot at York last time.
The form of that York contest has worked out well, with the second and third-placed horses both coming out and winning since.
He has shot up a stone in the ratings after those two wins and, now rated 108, looks well worth his place in Listed company.
His likely main danger, Montassib, is now an eight-year-old and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Coul Angel improve past him.
Joanna Mason, who rode him to win at York last time, retains the ride and at 9/2 he’s a very solid bet.
Softer conditions than she encountered throughout the summer might just suit Ed Walker’s FELICITAS in the Listed Gillies Fillies’ Stakes (2.45pm).
She has never run on officially soft ground, but her first two starts in the spring came on ground with a bit of cut and included an excellent effort when a close up second in the Musidora at York.
Following that, her sights were raised when she wasn’t disgraced behind Diamond Necklace in the Group One Prix de Diane.
She returned having been off the track since August, when running a good race to finish fourth in Group Three company at Newmarket last month.
That start should have brought her forward and a good run can be expected at 6/1.
The day’s big betting race is the £75,000 feature November Handicap (3.25pm).
Current favourite NOBODY KNOWS is very lightly raced for trainer Richard Hughes and there’s a fair chance he could be well-handicapped.
He won his first two starts, which included a novice on soft ground at Ayr at the back end of last season and then at Wolverhampton on his reappearance this campaign.
He was beaten less than a length on handicap debut over a mile at Sandown in the spring, before he ran most recently at York last month, which followed a long break.
It looks as though connections have had their eyes on this prize for a while and that run should have left him spot on for it.
He steps up to a mile-and-a-half for the first time, which should bring about improvement, and the booking of Ryan Moore is a major signal of intent.
I can see him going off a good deal shorter than his current price of 4/1 on the day, making him good ante-post value, and it would be no surprise if he proved too good for his rivals.
Another I’m keen to throw into the mix at bigger odds is LORD MELBOURNE.
Ralph Beckett’s six-year-old won this race two years ago and has been slowly working down the handicap this season.
He arrives here after finishing a close third at York recently and now with Harry Vigors claiming five pounds in the saddle, he looks on a dangerous mark.
Conditions are no worry, and 12/1 is a fair each-way price.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Coul Angel 2.10pm Doncaster
Felcitas e/w 2.45pm Doncaster
Nobody Knows 3.25pm Doncaster
Lord Melbourne e/w 3.25pm Doncaster
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