Our senior kind analyst, Jamie Lynch shines a light-weight on the ultimate flat contest of 2024 on City Moor on Saturday – the November Handicap, dwell on Sky Sports activities Racing.
We’ll cowl the large subject by compartmentalising the runners, from which a shortlist will organically emerge. And, after all, I am going to nail my colors to a specific mast within the verdict, however the magnificence is within the breakdown, so let’s get cracking with these classes…
THE THREE-YEAR-OLDS
Solely two 3-y-os have received the November Handicap within the final 15 years, although the trio of that age this time are uncommonly good on profile or progress. VALVANO leaps off the web page, mild on runs however robust on kind and from the secure of the season, but so as to add to his 2-y-o win however crushed in races received by Notable Speech (now rated 122), Navy Academy (can be not less than 110 when reassessed for Monday) and Bolster (112). The one draw back is that Valvano’s immaturity sometimes manifests as keenness, which he will not get away with over this longer journey on testing floor.
Then again, the stiffer the take a look at the higher for the relentless MINSTREL KNIGHT however he is gone up a complete of 13lb for bossing small fields over 1¾m within the mud the final twice, and it is price remembering that at York he was greater than twice the value of MASTER BUILDER, with good purpose, however the observe and the tempo made it an unfair struggle. I might be stunned if Grasp Builder did not get his revenge below these circumstances, specializing in his prior progress, resting on a number of the strongest 3-y-o form-lines.
Grasp Builder can be partnered by William Buick
THE ELDER RISERS
One of many stars of the season on the sly, THREE DONS was a maiden via his first 30 races earlier than the metamorphosis started in Might, and right here he’s within the November Handicap, 35lb larger and 7 wins later, six of them below Molly Gunn, although it is laborious to imagine he can scale this classier peak from the foot of the weights. One other transformer, MILLER SPIRIT, made it handicap win quantity 5 for the 12 months at Newbury within the type of 1 who hasn’t hit his ceiling but, he and FLASH BARDOT some eight lengths clear on the finish after each had tanked via the race, the latter let off calmly with only a 3lb rise in comparison with Miller Spirit’s 7lb.
INSANITY seems to be like he was made for this race, and perhaps Alan King thinks so, too, given he is freshened him up for it following a bump within the highway at York when most likely turned out to shortly in hindsight. The one horse to have crushed him in three prior runs this season was Mount Atlas who practically received the Outdated Rowley Cup final month, and Madness must be in direction of the highest of any shortlist, extra so with Rossa Ryan up.
Ryan was on board LORD MELBOURNE final time when the journey was too brief, and he is probably nonetheless mid-makeover for Beckett who’s had him for less than a handful of races, profitable twice for amateurs, however now the superb Jack Doughty is successfully reorienting his mark to only 85, useful certainly. STRESSFREE completed in entrance of Lord Melbourne at Leicester and in entrance of Valvano at York earlier than his unfortunate third at Doncaster on Futurity day below Jamie Spencer, the suitable man for nursing stamina as Stressfree tries 1½m for the primary time right here.
Chillingham will bid to go one higher
Despatched off favorite for the Autumn Cup at Newbury, WAXING GIBBOUS completed solely fifth (behind CHILLINGHAM in second and KOTARI in fourth), however perhaps she wasn’t over her large effort within the Outdated Borough Cup (neck second to Epic Poet), given extra of a break forward of this, solely her ninth race, and benefiting from the providers of the champion apprentice, Sean Dylan Bowen.
Smart Eagle must defy high weight
THE SLEEPERS
They’re lesser in quantity and hazard than regular for a race like this, those that are handicapped to win if reviving. WISE EAGLE has the back-class to do it however he is nonetheless obtained top-weight, whereas ADJUVANT does not less than have a claimer to assist this time, and it is price recalling that he went off solely 10-1 for final 12 months’s Ebor. BEAMISH is 8lb decrease than firstly of his time with Archie Watson, and he is proven flashes of his Irish kind, however it has been over 2m, and this journey in a race like this can be a shock to the system.
Maxi King thrives on the softer floor
THE MUD LOVERS
Situations aren’t because of be fairly so unhealthy or boggy as generally performs out within the November Handicap, however it’ll nonetheless be testing, making a constructive distinction to MAXI KING for one, as he is in his aspect when the mud is flying, whereas TWO BROTHERS loves it and desires it to degree the enjoying subject now that he is again as much as a mark that has been past him up to now. The off-roader who should still step it up is AULD TOON LOON who received by a large margin on heavy floor at Tub on his debut for the yard, however the handicapper hasn’t missed him, elevating him 10lb, and he has executed all his successful in single-figure fields.
JAMIE LYNCH’S VERDICT
That is all the pieces you’d anticipate of a November Handicap, excessive on high quality and amount, and the sprinkling of 3-y-os are even hotter than traditional, Valvano chief amongst them, however it could possibly be the opposite Ralph Beckett runner who’s the reply, LORD MELBOURNE popping out very close to the highest if certainly this had been the cliched box-ticking train. The superb Jack Doughty claiming 5lb is the clincher in a race of superb margins.
