The clocks have gone back, the nights have drawn in, the pumpkins and spookiness of Halloween have passed but as they say, remember remember the fifth of November. Just for a different kind of reason for Racing fans this weekend.
As firework displays will be held up and down the country, Racing has its own rockets ready to make a big bang this weekend.
I often describe this weekend as the crossroads for Racing. We say goodbye to the flat turf season, with the competitive November Handicap bringing the curtain down on another superb season on the level. But as one door shuts, another is well and truly beginning to open widely. We are blessed with a firecracker of National Hunt action this weekend, with Wincanton's Badger Beers Chase card and the recently brought forward Grand Sefton Chase card at Aintree taking centre stage.
Wincanton
1:50 Badger Beers Trophy
A lighter then usual renewal due to the ground difficulties Wincanton have faced throughout The Summer and into The Autumn, with a lack of serious sustained rainfall being the answer. 13 go to post.
My pick is Frodon. Yes, very original I know but having looked at this race, I can't help but come to the conclusion of the depth that it severely lacks. Both Enrilo and last years runner up Potterman have points to prove, with the latter failing to finish in three of his last four starts. Recent Cheltenham showcase winner Lord Accord is the most intriguing of the rest, but his jumping was a little sketchy at times and Wincanton is no place to make errors. He's one who could make into a potential National horse.
I would not be concerned with Cap Du Nord's quiet comeback in The Native River last time. He mirrored his performance in the race last year before running consistently well as the season progressed. He was a staying on fourth in this last year despite being hampered by the fatal fall of long time leader Storm Home two out. Rule him out at your peril.
However, Frodon side stepping a bid to defend his Down Royal Champion Chase crown is an interesting move. He is no stranger to lumping a big weight around on seasonal reappearance as he did when putting on a Cheltenham jumping clinic off top weight two years ago. I'm hoping Bryony will be able to control the tempo and get into a rhythm. If Frodon can do that, he will make life uncomfortable for his rivals. Paul Nicholls will no doubt have him ready just like he did at Down Royal last year. I'm hopeful Wincanton racegoers will be in for a treat.
Aintree
2:11 Grand Sefton Handicap Chase
This years Grand Sefton again looks largely competitive, with the race being brought forward a month and away from its usual December slot alongside The Becher Chase.
The Sam Thomas yard is in very good form at the moment, with a big weekend capped beautifully when Our Power won The London Gold Cup at Ascot, one of the seasons first Premier Handicaps. The Cardiff based trainer sends out the once well fancied Supreme contender Al Dancer. It will be interesting to see how a lot of these get on jumping The Grand National fences for the first time. Despite the modifications in recent years, these fences caught out a lot of runners in last seasons Grand National with plenty of early departures before the second circuit. These fences still command plenty of respect.
Al Dancer's jumping can be questionable at times and is prone to the error along the way. He does go well fresh though and has a chance.
The horse I landed on originally in this race was Jacamar. I was Raceday Presenting at Chepstow when Harry Reed was aboard on seasonal reappearance in The Native River Chase but I have never been convinced that three miles is his optimum. A respectable fourth in behind some useful staying chasers followed but the drop back down in trip for me personally is a plus. Again, similar to Al Dancer, Jacamar is prone to throwing in the odd eyebrow raising leap along the way but he jumped soundly enough at Chepstow last time. Johnny Burke is an excellent booking and I think Jacamar can run a really big race here.
Lifetime Ambition, Broken Halo and Cooper's Cross are an interesting, unexposed trio all worth considering. The latter is the biggest price of the three and won well last time out at Carlisle. This seven year old son of Getaway is running from out of the weights but Sean Bowen is an encouraging booking and is in very good form at the moment. He's an each way hope here.
Doncaster
12:50 Wentworth Stakes
Having looked at this race initially, my first thought was why Chipstead is a 10-1 chance. Am I misreading something here?. Apart from the obvious rise in the Handicap and despite the fact that Frederick Larson cannot claim, I think Chipstead has a good chance.
Yes, he's taking on the very talented Art Power who on ability alone should be winning this well, but he's not been very reliable or consistent at any stage this season and we already know where we stand in terms of limitations with him at the top level. Art Power will take a lot of beating though.
In comparison, I do not think Chipstead has reached his ceiling and has progressed extremely well over the course of the season. The talented four year old has built upon a victory at Sandown in August by landing The Portland Handicap on St Leger day (wrongfully disqualified a month later, bonkers isn't it?) as well as recently finishing strongly to win a competitive Catterick Dash under regular partner and highly talented Apprentice Frederick Larson. The current heavy ground will be of no hindrance here with his sire Mayson a proven horse with give in the ground and plenty of people I'm sure will remember his July Cup win from yesteryear in what were horrific conditions.
The rest of the field is made up of the thriving Summerghand who like a fine wine only appears to be getting better with age. In the form that David O'Meara's eight year old is currently in, you could not rule him out of another big run. An Ayr Gold Cup winner two starts ago and a close second in an Ascot Group Three in behind talented sprinter Rohaan last time indicate that Summerghand is well and truly in the form of his life at the moment. That is testament to the training ability of David O'Meara.
It is worth noting that the reopposing Stewards Cup winner Commanche Falls has finished in behind Summerghand on his last two occasions with the pair meeting off level weights this time around.
Tarhib and Rhythm Master are two other intriguing contenders in this. Tarhib herself has been progressing well in Fillies races during the first part of the season before stepping up in class and against the boys in Handicap Company. This daughter of Dark Angel comes into the race off bottom weight of nine stone and was a very impressive winner of a class three Handicap at Nottingham last time out, winning by two lengths. I'm interested to see how Tarhib gets on here.
Rhythm Master's last run in behind the ultra progressive I'm A Gambler is form that needs to be taken seriously. Breakout star trainer James Horton's four year old was third in this race last year at 25-1 in behind Kings Lynn when trained by Richard Fahey. He demands respect and adds another layer to an interesting renewal this time around.
3:13 November Handicap
National Hunt clues are on display here in what is again a competitive edition of the final big turf Handicap of the domestic flat season. Metier and Tritonic both run but I can imagine this will be prep for a campaign over hurdles for both again this Winter.
Tritonic tops the weights in this as Alan King's smart five year old attempts to carry nine stone twelve, minus five pounds for the useful claim of Royal Ascot winning Apprentice Callum Hutchinson. A four pound rise has been issued for a neck victory over the mercurial Goshen at Goodwood last time but the claim of Callum Hutchinson takes that rise away effectively.
I would not rule out Tritonic running a big race here but he does hold an entry for the upcoming Greatwood Hurdle which suggests that a return to hurdling is on the cards in the not too distant future.
Current 11-4 favourite Israr is well fancied to build upon a comfortable victory over C&D on heavy ground last time out with the likes of Sir Rumi (who reappears here) in behind.
This well bred son of Muhaarar and Taghrooda has a seven pound rise to contend with for that previous success but trainers John & Thady Gosden have a solid record in this race. It's also worth taking into consideration that Israr has some smart Royal Ascot form in behind Melbourne Cup fourth Deauville Legend and the useful Secret State as well as swooping late to win The London Gold Cup at Newbury on Lockinge day. He is very much the one to beat.
My pick in the race comes in the form of First Officer trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam. This talented son of Galileo has a win and a third to his name since joining his new stable having been formerly trained at Carlburg Stables by St Leger winning trainer Roger Varian.
First Officer was agonisingly beaten in a head bobber over a mile and a quarter on heavy ground at Doncaster last time out when he was mugged on top of the line by the Ralph Beckett trained Unspoken. However, he was given a superb front running ride from Hollie Doyle when finishing off strongly to beat Ascending by six lengths at Nottingham in early October.
First Officer is lightly raced having had just the ten career starts so far and with form over a range of trips varying from a mile and a quarter to two miles as well as carrying a featherweight of eight stone eight, he ticks all the right boxes in order to have a big say in this race. I feel First Officer is extremely overpriced at current odds of 14-1.
Keeneland
4:29 Breeders Cup Turf Sprint
This on paper and across the media suggests it is a straight shootout between American rocket Golden Pal and one of if not the biggest success story of the season here in The U.K, Highfield Princess.
Golden Pal put a dismal effort in The Kings Stand at Royal Ascot behind him with a comfortable success at Keeneland last time. Wesley Ward's speedball was like a bullet fired from a gun at Del Mar last year, pinging from the gates and rolling into the bends almost pinball esq when winning his second Breeders Cup race.
He will break from gate eight and this race could be over within the first couple of strides. Golden Pal is simply that quick from the gate and attempts to claim a hat trick of Breeders Cup wins.
Highfield Princess has enjoyed a marked rise all the way to the top level, emerging as The U.Ks brightest sprinting star. The apple of John Quinn's eye was flawless in The Prix Maurice De Gheest, devastating in The Nunthorpe and classy in The Flying Five. But, she will have never encountered a horse as fast from the gate as Golden Pal. The only concern is that Golden Pal could be out and gone in a flash, with that being the fine margin between victory and defeat.
Creative Force is a horse I have always liked and admired for his consistency. A good second in The Champions Sprint on Champions Day in behind Breeders Cup Mile hope Kinross was ideal prep for this, however I just feel that Creative Force is better over six furlongs. I get the feeling that this might just all happen a tad too quickly for him here.
I've gone for an each way pick and perhaps one that readers might consider slightly left field. Go Bears Go will not be many peoples idea of the winner and that is fair considering the son of Kodi Bear's form has been largely inconsistent this season. I'd be willing to forgive his Champions Sprint ninth last time, the action unfolded on the stands side and to my eye, Go Bears Go was on the wrong side of the track to really get competitive.
The piece of form I'm latching on to here comes from last years Breeders Cup at Del Mar, when under US hall of fame rider John Velazquez, Go Bears Go ran a huge race to finish second in The Juvenile Turf Sprint in behind Wesley Wards Twilight Gleaming. He did not break too quickly and will have to get away a lot quicker this time around but I was impressed with the way in which Go Bears Go weaved his way through the field staying on eye catching ly into second place.
To the eye, it appeared as though the US style of Racing really suited David Loughnane's three year old. If Golden Pal does go off in typically speedy style and drags some rivals out in pursuit, I could see Go Bears Go finishing well again to hopefully pick up some pieces and hit the frame.
Thank you for reading.
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