Disclaimer: Compulsive gambling can harm your health and relationships, and leave you in serious debt. If you have a problem with gambling and you’d like to stop, support and treatment is available. To find information, support and counselling on gambling addiction, please visit the NHS website: www.bit.ly/NHSGambling

THE weather has rather scuppered the main card at Wincanton with only 43 runners being declared for the seven race card, just the four for the Elite Hurdle and seven for the feature handicap chase. 

That means the bigger betting focus will be on the final turf flat card at Doncaster and the Grand Sefton Chase meeting at Aintree.

There are some huge fields at the South Yorkshire track so look out for the enhanced each-way terms from the bookmakers and shop around, especially if you are having a play on one of the bigger priced runners.

As far as the feature November Handicap is concerned, 23 have been declared and there will be no shortage of runners that like to be at the sharp end of affairs so this could turn out to be a real slug fest. As much as I admire the claims of Castle Cove and the very lightly raced Master Vintner, both have been found in the market place near the head of the betting and I would much rather have an each-way play on ADJUVANT (3.45).

I have always been of the opinion that Michael Bell’s charge simply doesn’t see out a mile and three quarters and for that reason I have written off his last two runs at York and Haydock Park and I would rather focus on his much belated seasonal debut at Goodwood, when he kept on nicely behind Prince of the Seas over a mile and a half on a surface that was too quick for him. 

He is one of seven runners set to line up for the second successive season in the race when he finished ninth after probably racing too prominently when those early exertions began to take their toll from the quarter mile marker. Off a 5lbs lower mark I expect him to be ridden more patiently under Dylan Hogan and he rates an interesting each-way play. 

Of the remaining double figure priced runners I think Master Builder (18th last year) is way better than that wide running effort would suggest and is now some 7lbs lower in the weights, while the sixth from 12 months ago, Miller Spirit, is arguably the best handicapped of last year’s runners off an 8lbs lower rating and with a cracking run at Newbury last time out under his belt.

ANNA SWAN (3.10) was regarded as a possible Epsom Oaks horse as a juvenile. Things didn’t go her way in the first part of this season, but we know that when this daughter of Almanzor gets her desired give in the ground she is smart. I think she can bridge the official ratings gap with Danielle, rated 5lbs superior at the weights, in the Listed Gillies Fillies’ Stakes. The last named has her easiest task since staying on second to the classy Estrange in this race 12 months ago and rates an obvious danger along with the underrated Karmology.

As far as the several handicaps on the card are concerned, I would have fancied the well weighted Korker in the sprint handicap at 2.35, but I still think he is a better horse at the minimum trip off a fast pace and the better wager in this big field could well be MILFORD who has a lovely turnaround in the weights with the six runners ahead of him here two weeks ago. 

On that occasion Julie Camacho’s charge fell out of the stalls and was a huge eye catcher eventually finishing a five-length seventh behind Fine Interview who he meets on some 6lbs better terms. Expect the youngster to once again be doing his best work in the final 220 yards of this ultra competitive handicap.

The opening apprentice handicap over an extended seven furlongs looks even more competitive and I think a first win for 11 months looks on the cards for the Richard Hannon trained TALIS EVOLVERE (11.37).

A really good second to Eternal Force over a mile at Haydock Park last time out, the pick has been kept very busy this season, this will be his 13th run of 2025, and is now some 16lbs lower in the ratings.

The promising Toby Moore takes a valuable 5lbs off his back here and he gets a solid vote over the likes of the mud-loving Quest For Fun and the outstandingly well handicapped Looks Like Smiling from the Gemma Tutty yard.

MONTASSIB (1.25) simply couldn’t handle the unusually sound surface on Champions Day at Ascot after his belated comeback at Newbury, but back on a more forgiving surface the 2024 Sprint Cup hero looks too big in the market place at around the 9/4 mark as he looks head and shoulders above his 12 rivals. Should we get significantly more rain, then the mare Vadream could leave her disappointing form this season behind her. She looked as though she was on the way back last time out in the Boadicea Stakes at Newmarket last month and if it gets wet, she should outrun her odds at the time of writing of around 33/1.

Over the sticks at Aintree several of last year’s runners from the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase re-oppose each other. Vintage Fizz was three and a quarter lengths off King Turgeon and has a massive 13lbs pull in the weights. However, the first named has not really been in the same form since and it is the third home, Gaboriot, that could have his revenge here. He has a cracking record when fresh, but I would rather take on this trio with OUR POWER (2.40). 

The selection ran well for a long way in the 2023 Grand National when his stamina gave up half a mile from home. Since then he has suggested that he retains nearly all of his substantial talent with a third in the Handicap Chase at Kempton and then an even better effort when third in the Scottish National. White Rhino could still be well handicapped after being given a substantial break after bleeding in the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase at Doncaster, a remark that also applies to the other unexposed runner Colonel Harry.

The latest Handicap Hurdle Qualifier at 12.55 is in many ways a guessing game as to which entries merely want to qualify for the final next March and those genuinely gunning after the first prize of £15,000. THE LORD MAID could be the one to follow here after finishing last season very much on the upgrade with a staying on second at Chepstow followed by a clear-cut success in the big mares’ handicap hurdle at the Scottish National meeting at Ayr.

And finally back to where we started and the meeting at Wincanton where the chase could well go to CREDO (3.30) who has a cracking record when fresh and won’t mind the ground and in receipt of a massive 19lbs from Threeunderthrufive, he looks the value call here.

The Elite Hurdle looks a shoo-in for last year’s winner RUBAUD (2.55), so a better value call could well be SAYVA (1.10) in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase.