Flat racing on turf in Britain concluded a week early due to waterlogging at Redcar and Doncaster this week, but the code’s traditional final card at Town Moor has been salvaged by a switch to the synthetic track at Newcastle and a competitive field of 14 runners will go to post for the £70,000 November Handicap on Saturday afternoon.
Local Dynasty is the early favourite to extend Charlie Appleby’s strong finish to the campaign and has performed with credit in all three of his starts this year, but he will be making his debut on an artificial surface and Teumessias Fox, who is two-from-four on all-weather tracks, is preferred.
Andrew Balding’s gelding has not run since mid-August but he was an impressive winner on his seasonal debut at Kempton Park in March and has the useful apprentice Callum Hutchinson taking off a potentially vital 3lb.
Fakenham
12.25 Grain Of Hope 12.55 Somekindofstar 1.30 Ben Buie 2.05 Shinji 2.40 Eliza Dolittle 3.10 Allo Allo 3.40 Charmian’s Place
Carlisle
12.35 To Chase A Dream 1.05 Nells Son 1.40 All The Glory 2.15 Crebilly 2.50 Kingston Bridge 3.20 Big Blue Moon 3.50 Highlands Legacy
Kempton Park
12.45 Classic King 1.15 Sherborne 1.50 Much Too Dear 2.25 Hatcher 3.00 Langer Dan (nb) 3.30 Mulberry Hill 4.00 Angel’s Dream
Wolverhampton
4.30 Prince Ali 5.00 Lenormand 5.30 Graceful Mary 6.00 Peachey Carnehan 6.30 Coast 7.00 Tiberio Force 7.30 Johnny James (nap) 8.00 Zakram 8.30 Sixcor
Wincanton 1.15 The ideal track and trip for Flagrant Delitiep, who hinted at a return to form at Plumpton last month and is 19lb below his last winning mark.
Newcastle 1.30 With Vera Verto likely to set a decent pace, Sound Angela could improve on her fast-finishing third in a similar event at Saint-Cloud in September.
Wincanton 1.50 Knappers Hill promises to be a leading novice chaser this season and should get off the mark over the bigger obstacles here.
Newcastle 2.05 A significant drop in class for Sense Of Duty, whose win in last year’s Chipchase Stakes over track and trip is the best piece of form on offer.
Wincanton 2.25 Frodon’s legion of fans will ensure he is well backed to repeat his win 12 months ago but he is now 11 and could be vulnerable to a progressive rival such as Blackjack Magic.
Aintree 2.45 The first race of the season over the Grand National fences, and Fantastic Lady, the runner-up in the Topham over the same course in April, has an obvious chance after just a 4lb rise in the weights.
Wincanton 3.00 In the possible absence of West Balboa, who has an alternative engagement at Aintree, Rubaud should make short work of his three remaining rivals.
Aintree 3.20 West Balboa made rapid strides last year and rounded off her campaign with a five-length handicap success at the Grand National meeting. This is another step up in class but she is worth backing to bridge the gap.
Sandown: 12.30 Issam, 1.05 Blow Your Wad, 1.40 Classic Anthem, 2.15 Western Zephyr (nap), 2.50 Legendary Day (nb), 3.25 Cyclop, 4.00 Martin Plage.
Ffos Las: 12.40 Flying Fortune, 1.15 Lazy Sunday, 1.50 Pyffo, 2.25 Ballymagroarty Boy, 3.00 Ideallko, 3.35 Mumbles, 4.10 Bluella Bresil.
Wincanton 3.32 The Grade One Challow Hurdle was a step too far for Vicki Vale on only her second start over timber last season but she starts the new campaign on a very fair mark on the balance of her form to date and Tristan Durrell’s 5lb claim is another positive.
