Barwick Can Bounce Back At Doncaster

A cracking effort from Empresario at Musselburgh on Friday. He was available to back at 28/1 with some firms during the day which was very surprising as I believed 14s was too big! He was eventually sent off at 20s and he was taken on for the lead by the eventual winner (he looks a serious horse by the way) after about a mile.

They went lickety split from the outset, and the front two had the vast majority of the field in trouble a fair way out. He was passed for 2nd in the final furlong but kept on well to hold 3rd. With an easier lead he can win off that mark, but the winner, Village Vic, looks a very exciting prospect.

Tomorrow sees some top class jumps action at Aintree but the horse that has caught my eye goes in the big flat race of the day, The November Handicap at Doncaster. Barwick gets in off a mark of 87 with talented claimer Tom Marquand taking off another handy 3lb. He went close off this mark on his penultimate run at Ascot over 12f. He ran arguably even better off 89 at Epsom back in June in a class 2 handicap when, with a clearer run,  he would have surely finished closer than the 3L he was beaten by in the end.

Soft ground holds no fears, as his last win came at Epsom over 12f on heavy. He has been lightly enough campaigned this year, and looks as though he might have been laid out for this race. He was stepped up to 14f last time out but that trip is too far and a line needs to be put through that poor effort. He was put away after that and has been freshened up with a nice 85 day break. This will only be his 6th start of the season and at odds of 33/1 he looks worthy of a little each way support.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 3.30 DONCASTER: BARWICK E/W 33/1