Friday 7 November 2014 18:50, UK
Sky Sports' racing guru Alex Hammond previews the November Handicap at Doncaster on Saturday.
The Flat season draws to a conclusion this Saturday and it goes out as devilishly difficult as it arrived. We wrap things up at the top and tail track, Doncaster, which hosts the Lincoln Handicap in March and the November Handicap this weekend. 23 horses have been declared for the mile and a half handicap and the ground is described as soft. So, that’s the detail, now time to try and find the winner!
Mount Logan is bidding to win this for trainer Luca Cumani whose last victory in this race came back in 1994. He also runs Sir Walter Scott, who looks like a bit of a monkey but has the assistance of Richard Hughes which could help and wears the blinkers for the second time.
Mount Logan is one of several runners that won last time out. His win came over course and distance on good ground. He’s relatively unexposed and is the sort that should do better at 4. The only doubt is this ground which he has never experienced.
Farquhar is trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam who is the master of readying one for a specific target. He has been raised 8lb for a win in an ultra-competitive handicap at Newmarket over 1m 4f last time out. Soft ground won’t be a problem and he’s a leading contender.
Open Eagle squeezed into the race thanks to a win at Redcar on Tuesday which saw him pick up a 4lb penalty, prior to that he was fourth behind Latenightrequest at Doncaster - he is trained by David O’Meara.
Richard Fahey’ trains Latenightrequest who comes into the race in great form having won that race at Doncaster last time out. She loves the soft ground that she’ll get on Saturday and seems pretty tough and genuine.
She has to overcome an 8lb rise for that win which saw a couple of her rivals in this in behind. It will be tougher here though.
Charlie McBride does incredibly well with his small string and Old Town Boy can fly the flag for his Newmarket handler. His horses are running really well and this horse is well drawn on the inside. He has been raised 6lbs for his recent win at York where he had several of these in behind. He is still relatively lightly raced in the context of this race and should continue to progress.
Alan King’s First Mohican has joint top weight to carry along with Ennistown for Charlie Appleby. First Mohican will be fitted with cheekpieces for the first time and this has been his target since Royal Ascot where the ground was probably too quick for him. Whilst he has top weight, he has dropped down the weights.
Useful apprentice Jack Garritty has been booked to ride Headline News for Rae Guest. She won a fillies’ handicap at Newmarket on her last outing and will love the soft ground. The way a race like this will be run will be right up her street. For me it’s between Open Eagle for his shrewd handler and First Mohican, who has been laid out for this race.
Selection: First Mohican
