THIS Saturday brings the curtain down on the 2012 Flat Season.
Doncaster traditionally opens the flat turf season with the Lincoln Handicap and also provides the finale in the shape of the November Handicap. Both races run over Town Moor are invariably hotly contested and, interestingly enough John Gosden’s Charm School started off in the Lincoln last year over a mile and ended up actually winning the November Handicap, run over a mile and a half, in the same year.
This year’s renewal surprisingly doesn’t have a Gosden runner but Newmarket couldn’t be represented by a better trainer than Sir Henry Cecil and there wouldn’t be a more fitting result if FIRST MOHICAN lands this Class 2 handicap.
I have taken all the 5/1 I can get about Henry Ponsonby’s charge. Ponsonby’s horse The Betchworth Kid has been a regular runner in this race and it’s a race he would clearly love to win. As I write there is still plenty 4/1 available and I believe this fellow will go off a well backed 11/4 fav come Saturday so I’m happy with the price.
As an outsider I have to give Sirvino a squeak at 20/1, he is well weighted and has good collateral form with the favourite. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him run into a place.
SELECTION
Saturday, November 10
Doncaster November Handicap – FIRST MOHICAN