JOHN GOSDEN is firing both barrels at this afternoon's final Classic of the season with Lucarno and Raincoat each having a shot for the St Leger.

According to the ante-post market, Lucarno, the 4-1 second favourite, is the better backed of the pair compared with Raincoat's longer odds of around 10-1.

You pays your money and takes your chance in this game and given the serious stamina doubts concerning Lucarno, an each-way wager on Raincoat (3.15) might prove the safer option.

"Lucarno worked very well last Saturday morning but the extended trip of the Leger is the issue, which is why I've been hesitant about running him," explained Gosden.

As far as Raincoat goes he was much more positive regarding the extended mile-and-three-quarter test producing the required improvement.

"The longer trip will suit him and he could be the horse people have slightly forgotten about. The French Derby was too short and I've had the Leger in mind for months."

Having attended many St Legers and witnessed the action track-side, it's clearly a race which really puts the utmost demands on sheer staying power come the final couple of furlongs.

Occasionally the Leger field dawdle early doors, although not this time I fancy because Aidan O'Brien's star-spangled quartet all shape as if they'll benefit from an end-to-end gallop.

If the above-mentioned scenario materialises, some will finish like punch-drunk boxers, but hopefully not Raincoat, who should still have sufficient petrol in the tank when most needed.

The action on Town Moor gets under way with the Champagne Stakes, a seven-furlong Group 2 contest of the highest order.

Undoubtedly the best juvenile event seen so far this term, River Proud (2.10) is almost certain to go off favourite after his superb Newmarket second-to-top two-year-old, Winker Watson.

It's very hard to argue with the speed figures as they stand at present, therefore Richard Quinn's mount gets the nod despite the enormous strength-in-depth of the line-up.

In the Saturday column a fortnight ago, headline horse Fantasy Believer (10s) landed a good few each-way bets for readers by nabbing second spot in a hot Sandown sprint.

To my way of thinking that was the perfect preparation for the Portland Handicap, a race Fantasy Believer (2.40) bids to win for the second year in succession.

John Quinn's Malton-based charge was sent off at 20-1 in 2006, however he's now going to be a whole lot shorter given the nine-year-old is approaching concert pitch.

Having napped Lake Poet (4.55) to win York's Ebor, it was disappointing to see the normally reliable Philip Robinson get caught with his trousers down when the pace quickened.

Any right-minded trainer would have found another jockey after that comedy of errors and, not surprisingly, Clive Brittain has replaced him with Johnny Murtagh.

Murtagh's job has not been made straightforward by the above-average nature of the Audi Stakes, but the column strives for big-priced winners and Lake Poet fits the bill very nicely.

Barry Hills, the man with the golden touch at Doncaster, can close proceedings on a winning note by snapping up the last via The Illies (5.30).

Having recently bagged a brace of valuable handicaps at York and Ascot, The Illies looks on the verge of a well-deserved hat-trick prior to making his mark in better company.

Another individual hovering agonisingly close to graduating out of handicap grade is Warwick-bound Laa Rayb (4.15).

Although Mark Johnston's son of Storm Cat didn't help his cause by hanging left on his latest Chester start, he rallied magnificently and only went down by a short-head.

As one of the leading "bend" riders on the circuit, J-P Guillambert has the advantage of being drawn just off the far rail for the one-mile Handicap. If all goes to plan Guillambert should stick like a limpet to the fence, thus crucially taking Laa Rayb on the shortest route from A to B.