Who has unfinished business in the November Handicap as Britain's Flat turf season comes to a close?

Only two of the nine winners of this famous end-of-season handicap were aged three in the last decade and seven runnings have gone to older horses, but that doesn’t tell a true story.

That’s because those seven older winners came from 157 runners aged four or more in that period, while the two three-year-old winners came from only 29 runners. That means they have struck at a strike-rate of 22 per cent from just 16 per cent of the field in that time.

Therefore, three-year-olds have the better record and this year's market centres around two of the three of that age in Valvano and Master Builder.

Valvano represents Ralph Beckett, who won the race 19 years ago with Come On Jonny, who was also three, and Valvano is less exposed than him.

Valvano has run only four times and was just two lengths behind 2,000 Guineas hero Notable Speech when second at Kempton in April. He ran his best race since when third at York last month.

He steps up a furlong-and-a-half in trip, but this half-brother to two-mile hurdle winner Valsad may find a greater test of stamina is just what he needs.

Master Builder is dropping two furlongs after finishing third behind the other three-year-old in this line up, Minstrel Knight, at York last month. Master Builder has a 5lb pull for a two-and-three-quarter-length defeat and they are closely matched.

Master Builder did best of those who came from the rear at York, in which Minstrel Knight made all. However, Minstrel Knight was still more than a length faster than Master Builder over the final three furlongs.

That points to Minstrel Knight having the speed for two-furlongs shorter and he is the value.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

Jimmy Quinn bows out

Jimmy Quinn will bring the curtain down on his career in Britain's final turf race of the season on Dark Moon Rising, ending a career spanning five decades with over 1,500 winners.

The 57-year-old, who is the oldest professional jockey still riding, announced plans to retire in May and kept his promise despite the appeal of stepping down at Yarmouth last month after he rode his first winner of the season.

Quinn's greatest achievement was his Group 1 win on Kingsgate Native in the 2007 Nunthorpe Stakes at York and has racked up over 22,000 rides since moving to Newmarket from Ireland in the 1980s.

He said: “My first ever ride was at Doncaster in 1984 and it's always been the plan to end there. I won two Lincolns [High Low in 1992 and Smokey Oakey in 2008] and also the Portland Handicap so it made sense to end where it all started. I’ve just one ride and hopefully I should have a good spin and it should be a great day.”

What they say

David Egan, rider of Maxi King
We'd have appreciated a better draw [stall 21] but he’s down in class and this has been in his end of season target for some time.

Tom Queally, rider of Miller Spirit
He’s on a really good run of form and will appreciate any ease in the ground. I’d be disappointed if he doesn’t make his presence felt.

Ed Bethell, trainer of Chillingham and Minstrel Knight
They have very different profiles as Chillingham is a good horse but more exposed, while Minstrel Knight is unexposed but off a low weight. It’s competitive, but I expect them both to run well.

George Baker, trainer of Simply Sondheim
He loves soft ground and it was great to see him bounce back to form last time at Epsom. This has been the target since then.

Alex Elliott, racing manager to Valmont, owners of Valvano
If you said he’d be racing off a handicap mark of 97 at the beginning of the year I wouldn’t have believed you. He remains unexposed, we’re up in trip which everyone says will help and we go there hopeful.

Michael Bell, trainer of Adjuvant
Leading Irish apprentice Wayne Hassett rides and this has been his target for six weeks. We were second in this in 2008, so have some unfinished business.

David Probert, rider of Flash Bardot
She’s in good form and has a nice draw in stall one. She’ll enjoy the ground and will be coming home strong if they go a decent pace.
Reporting by David Milnes

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