The turf Flat season bows out at Doncaster on Saturday, with the November Handicap the last big betting race on Town Moor, while Aintree stages two Grade 2s moved from Wincanton. Mydaddypaddy and Alexei clash in the Molyneux Hurdle, and Challow winner No Drama This End makes his chasing debut in the Rising Stars Novices’ Chase.
Joe Napier picks out two from Doncaster and two from Aintree to combine for our Saturday Lucky 15.
2.10 Doncaster – Unique Journey
With Ryan Moore booked, it is hoped that the Irish raider UNIQUE JOURNEY can travel over kindly for Daniel James Murphy. There is precious little to split most of these on ratings, but recent form dictates that the selection may be on the up enough to claim this. The four-year-old has really come good of late, winning twice in a row at the Curragh this autumn. Those efforts have coincided with the ground softening in his home country, as he won by four lengths over this trip in October, then scored again upped to 7f just six days ago. The tight turnaround is not considered a concern given the form he is in and it may well be that the iron remains hot enough for the Caravaggio gelding to strike again.
2.45 Doncaster – Wadooda
This is currently the third calendar year in succession that Owen Burrows is likely to be in profit to a level stake. His horses remain underrated and the lightly-raced WADOODA can emerge from left field to claim Listed honours and round out the turf season. The daughter of Dubawi ran well behind the subsequently Group placed filly Act Of Kindness on debut, with that winner having had the benefit of a run already. Burrows’ charge then missed over a year of racing, but put in an extravagant performance to win at Kempton last month. Callum Rodriguez asked her plenty, but her winning margin over 1m there does not do justice to her dominance. Her breeding suggests 1m2f should be absolutely fine here and there is likely plenty more under the bonnet.
3.00 Aintree – Lihyan
There is enough to suggest LIHYAN is a solid each-way play in the Pertemps qualifier at Aintree. Rebecca Menzies’ runner is 2lb below his last winning mark, having scored at Newbury back in March. He then ran well off a career high rating at Aintree, when seventh of 22 in the big 3m handicap hurdle at the Grand National meeting. The eight-year-old has struggled to see out his races since, including both races this season. However, he has travelled kindly in both, most notably on return at Hexham, before his effort has petered out. There is no better track to run at than Aintree to preserve stamina though and he has slipped down the handicap. Having run well here on three occasions, and placed in every race between October and December last year, he can return to the fold.
3.35 Aintree – Rodney
There should be a fair amount of pace in this race, which will set things up well for Boombawn. That said, there is little enough evidence that he is well treated from a mark of 143, while the progressive RODNEY could still have more to come for Kerry Lee. The son of Golden Horn would have won on his return at Bangor last season but for falling at the last. It took two starts for him to refind his mojo, but he did in some style under Charlie Deutsch, completing a hat-trick last winter and soaring 24lb in the handicap. He won each race comfortably, appreciating the step up to 2m4f in the process, and was likely beaten by a very well-treated rival at Newbury to conclude his campaign. That second placed effort was another good run though and the form has broadly worked out well. A smooth traveller, he can find the progression to be involved.
