'He goes there with a live chance' - trainer quotes and analysis for the Portland Handicap

'One for the Portland' is a comment which has been aimed at weak finishing six-furlong horses, and those that hit the line hard over five, seemingly since the dawn of time.

This is one of very few big handicaps that split the difference between the sprint trips. Yet in reality it is not so much a race for specialists as a neutral venue. Last year's first two, Annaf and Significantly, have both excelled over six and even seven furlongs since. The previous three winners were all five-furlong horses in their pomp.

The Portland is also immune to any baked-in draw bias and it even defies the usual rules around pace. How many other major sprint handicaps can claim that the last four winners have all come from the rear?

A large number of the most interesting horses this year are contained in the high-numbered stalls. Shagraan is in stall 17 of 22, next door to all-the-way Stewards' Cup winner Get It who is an obvious pace angle. Cover Up (21) and American Affair (22) are also prominent in the betting. Course winner Hiya Maite (19), autumn specialist Vintage Clarets (20) and Dash winner Dream Composer (16) are among the easiest outsiders to vouch for.

Cover Up in particular has been 'one for the Portland' for a long time now. He won his most recent race over 5f. On his last three runs, he has shaped with loads of promise in the Wokingham, Stewards' Cup (fifth) and in a heritage handicap at the Ebor meeting.

The key to Cover Up is getting him covered up. He has one run in him and Kieran Shoemark will surely aim to present him late, for all similar tactics found him trouble at York. Doncaster's straight track rewards patience much more than York's does, as long as the gaps appear.
Analysis by Keith Melrose

What they say

Jonny Portman, trainer of Rumstar
He seems in good form at home. I would have preferred them not to have had the recent rain up there, but that's the way it is. I'm looking forward to dropping him back in trip. He's not been blessed with much luck this year, including in the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood two starts ago, but he's very well. There's a good day in him, I'm sure of that. He's probably not quite a Group horse, which means he has to carry lots of weight in good handicaps, but he's tough.

Mick Appleby, trainer of Shagraan
He won well enough at Haydock and has come out of it really well. The ground and track should suit him and he goes there with a live chance.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Cover Up
He'll need a bit of luck in running which he didn't get last time at York, where he ran on well when he finally saw daylight. He's drawn on the stands' rail, which may help him.

James Evans, trainer of Dream Composer
He's in good order. We couldn't run him at Ascot last week as he had a very slight knock, but he's fresh and well now. He's had a big weights increase from his Pontefract win last month, but he's a tough horse. I'm hoping the extended five furlongs on a flat course will suit him. He normally needs a stiff five. I don't think you can rule him out.

William Knight, trainer of Holkham Bay
I just think I ran him back a bit too quick at York. He wasn't particularly well drawn that day either. He's been freshened up and seems in great nick. He should run a good race at Doncaster.

Rod Millman, trainer of Woolhampton
She has enjoyed a very good season and won at Ascot last time, which was her third win of the year. She keeps surprising us and deserves a crack at a race like this. She was second in the Super Sprint at Newbury as a two-year-old and has kept on improving each year. I don't think she's an out-and-out five-furlong filly as she finishes off her races so strongly at that trip. The extra distance should suit and I hope she's well drawn in stall five.

George Scott, trainer of Born To Rock
We were delighted with her first run for us at Doncaster. This is obviously a different kettle of fish, but she's unexposed and might be drawn in the right spot in stall seven.
Reporting by Richard Birch

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