Conditions will be testing at Doncaster with the Town Moor track now heavy all over and these three horses should relish the testing conditions this afternoon.
SHIPBOURNE - 15:19
Shipbourne has yet to encounter heavy ground in his six career starts but he did run out an impressive winner on debut last season with conditions described as soft.
There was plenty to like about his novice win under a penalty here in June and the form is solid enough with the second winning his maiden and the third beaten a nose next time. They haven't advanced their form beyond that and nor did Shipbourne with a desperate performance - 3/1 favourite - at Newmarket's July Festival with his following start at Salisbury, and first since being gelded, little better.
However, he got back on track at Southwell and although that has resulted in a 6 lb impost it would be unwise to underestimate this son of Frankel with plenty of the sire's progeny at home on a testing surface.
SHAFDAR - 15:55
It's been a busy year for Shafdar since joining Ian Williams from France and he's run at least once every month since his debut in January.
He's won twice, on good ground at Epsom and, more interestingly, on soft at Chester on his penultimate start before finishing down the field in the Cambridgeshire back on a faster surface, albeit only beaten five lengths.
He can take a grip in his races which wouldn't be ideal with a little to prove over a testing ten furlongs but he ran well on ground described as heavy in France and there's encouragement on paper that he could be well suited by plenty of cut and it wouldn't surprise to see this progressive four-year-old take his form to a new level.
PROSPERITAS - 17:05
Prosperitas has won two of his 12 career starts and both of those successes arrived on ground described as heavy on which he is a perfect two from two.
The most recent of those victories was achieved over course and distance almost a year ago to the day in a division of this race - in first time cheekpieces - from a 4 lb lower mark and he's run only three times since. Prosperitas cut little ice in the Lincoln on his reappearance but has run respectably since, finishing fourth at Kempton in May and again in September.
The latest run should have teed him up for this contest and the ground has come in his favour.
Paddy Power market movers
Doncaster
12:55 Al Shabab Storm 9/4 from 5/2
13:30 Noble Exhibit 11/10 from 11/8 and Gran Dia 11/1 from 12s
Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “After final declarations Giant Sequoia was our best backed horse, but the money has now come for favourite Noble Exhibit in no uncertain terms with his handler Aidan O’Brien chasing a third successive UK flat trainers’ championship.
“But, interestingly, we’ve also seen cash for Gran Dia, who is, of course, trained by his only rival for that prestigious honour Andrew Balding.”
14:05 Angels Passing 9/1 from 12s
Cheltenham
13:10 Spectacularsunrise 3/1 from 4s
13:45 Road To Wembley 6/4 from 15/8
14:20 Moon Rocket 15/2 from 8s
14:55 Here Comes Georgie 10/3 from 4s
15:30 Indian River 9/4 from 11/4
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