Andrew Asquith has just the one selection in his latest ante-post column which comes in the November Handicap at Doncaster on Saturday.
Weekend View: Saturday November 7
2pts e.w Alfred Wincham in the November Handicap at 8/1 (General - 1/4 1,2,3,4)
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook Betfair Sportsbook
The Virgin Bet November Handicap brings the curtain down on the turf Flat season at Doncaster this weekend and it typically looks like being run on ground softer than good. The current description is soft, good to soft in places and, even though there isn’t much more rain around this week, the ground at this time of year rarely dries out as fast as in the summer months.
The Richard Hughes-trained Nobody Knows has been well supported since yesterday with Ryan Moore pencilled in to ride and he did catch the eye at York last time, so he has to command respect, but it is another horse who made a deep impression at York last time who tops my shortlist.
The horse in question is ALFRED WINCHAM, who is a lightly-raced four-year-old that has made a positive start for these connections. He won a bumper at Down Royal in May on his sole start for Anthony McCann and was purchased for £80,000 soon afterwards and maintained his unbeaten record by making a winning start on the Flat at Pontefract in June.
He confirmed himself not short of speed on that occasion, proving faster than the favourite in second, and he ran just as well giving stacks of weight away to the three-year-olds under a penalty at Southwell next time.
Alfred Wincham went on to make his handicap debut over this course and distance afterwards and he proved himself to be on a fair mark by splitting a pair of three-year-olds, with the front three pulling well clear of the remainder.
That form has taken some knocks since, but it is his latest win at York which makes him of major interest. It isn’t often, very rare in fact, that horses win handicaps at York by eight lengths, and he was value for even further than that margin.
He clearly relished his first start on ground softer than good, bounding away from his rivals when asked to lengthen over a furlong out and his jockey was able to ease him in the final 100 yards or so.
The handicapper has rightly raised him 13lb in the weights, but you could argue that’s still lenient for one with a profile like his, and it is worth remembering he’s got a smart Flat pedigree. There should be plenty more to come from him under similar conditions, with the drop back to a mile and a half of no concern.
- Preview posted 15:10 GMT on 03/11/2026
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
