A CRACKING day of racing both on the level and over the sticks and it will be well worth your while keeping an eye on the weather which could well change the going at both the jumps card at Aintree and then further down south at Wincanton.

The latter meeting holds that competitive staying handicap chase at 3.35, the Badger Ales Handicap Chase, and there are plenty in this field that don’t want the ground to ease considerably.

That could well play into the hands of CAPTAIN BUCK’S who has yet to fulfil his potential for trainer Paul Nicholls, but he is only a six-year-old and this will only be his ninth start over the larger obstacles without winning, but he has been placed six times.

The youngster won on heavy and good to soft ground as a novice hurdler so any easing in the turf shouldn’t really be a problem and his mark of 124 is certainly playable even if he is taking on more experienced handicappers here.

His closest rivals may well be Colin Tizzard’s On Demand and stable mate El Bandit, who if fit, has the potential to be a whole lot better than his current mark.

Elsewhere on the card the Elite Hurdle (3.00) is a very early indicator as to potential Champion Hurdle players and REDICEAN could hold all the aces being race fit following a fair opening gambit at Cheltenham. 

This flatter track should suit him a whole lot better though and if he can give the weight away to fellow four-year-old We Have a Dream and Verdana Blue (wouldn’t want any more rain) then he will be very much among the players for the hurdling crown in March.

There is also a pretty good national hunt card at Aintree, where again substantial rain could hit the Liverpool track and that would certainly benefit HEAR NO EVIL (nb) in the Pertemps Hurdle Qualifier at 1.35.

The Dan Skelton charge looked a young timber topper to follow last season when winning two of his three starts and merely being outpaced on his other one.

He seems to be crying out for a test of stamina, has a really good record when fresh and certainly won’t mind any of the forecast rain.

The big race of the day is the conditions hurdle event over two-and-a-half miles at 2.10 with Unowhatimeanharry defending his title from last year.

However, that only came in a three-runner event and this year’s renewal has a lot more strength on depth and he could well be vulnerable to the likes of Wholestone and VISION DES FLOS.

The selection made an aborted debut over the larger obstacles last time out, but last season looked as though he was crying out for a deeper test of stamina and he could well be worth chancing here up against his seniors.

It’s the final day of the turf flat season at Doncaster and the traditional curtain closer the November Handicap at 3.15 looks as wide open as ever.

Based on last year’s race, the lightly raced Royal Line must have claims, although he has gone up radically in the weights since his clear-cut win in the Metropolitan Handicap at Epsom in the spring.

So there may well be better value to be had in the form of WOLF COUNTRY, NAP (around 12/1) and Now Children.

The selection could just have that bit more room to improve with just the nine starts under his belt and has a 6lbs pull for being beaten a shade over four lengths at Goodwood last time out.

This slightly better ground should also be more in the favour of the son of Dubawi and at around 10/1 he looks very solid each-way value.