The November Handicap is the final big prize of the Flat turf season – and used to symbolise the end of the season as a whole until the restructure took place a few years ago – so it is a notoriously competitive affair, with recent winners Times Up, Litigant, Prize Money and last year’s victor Saunter all going on to either win or contest in pattern company.

The build-up to the 2018 Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Downs intensifies this week with recognised trials on both sides of the Irish Sea at Chester, Lingfield Park and Leopardstown.