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Updated: 1st November 2011 - GG.com

November Delights

November begins with a case of out with the old and in with the new as the curtain comes down on the 2011 Flat season at Doncaster on November 5, and the jumps action steps up a gear with competitive racing at Kelso, Sandown and Wincanton.

Spifer
© Racehorse Photos

Doncaster's card is often a nightmare for punters with its plethora of impossibly difficult handicaps headed by the November Handicap, but if Luca Cumani lets the highly progressive Spifer takes his chance in the mile and a half contest, punters prayers may well be answered for once in the shape of a winner that is not a devil to find.

The final turf card of the Flat season on Town Moor should also see the upwardly mobile Sirius Prospect land the Wentworth Stakes for trainer Dean Ivory.

Ever since this pearl of a sprinter was gelded, he has improved out of all recognition and a success at listed level should stand him in good stead for a tilt at some of the bigger sprint prizes next season.

The jumps season reaches full stride on the following weekend with the prestigious Paddy Power Open meeting at Cheltenham. The main thrust of the extravagant fixture takes place on November 12 with the staging of the BetVictor Gold Cup.

Traditionally the winner of this valuable prize is a young horse, entering its second season over fences and preferably with experience of the tough Cheltenham fences.

Mon Parrain
© Racehorse Photos

Quite how Long Run got beaten in this race a year ago is something of a puzzle but is probably best explained by reference to Nicky Henderson's sluggish start to last season.

This time around Ferdy Murphy has lined up Divers for a tilt at the big one while the swashbuckling style of Wishfull Thinking could take him a long way in this race, and Mon Parrain is another that excites in a thrilling-looking renewal.

On November 13, the third and final day of the Open Meeting, the top two-mile hurdlers are given the chance to strut their stuff in the valuable Greatwood Hurdle.

Champion Hurdle aspirants often have their say here and while such smart sorts as Spirit Son and Zarkandar are conspicuous by their absence from the Greatwood, Nicky Henderson could strike a blow for the younger generation with Grandouet.

The weekend of November 19 sees the day's main action unfold at Haydock Park where the reigning Gold Cup hero Long Run should begin the season with a success in the Betfair Chase.

Nicky Henderson's six-year-old stands head and shoulders above the staying chase division and there was little to excite among last season's rather ordinary set of novices and as long as the gelding reproduces last season's form he should be very hard to beat.

Master Minded
© Racehorse Photos

Over at Ascot Albertas Run may well bid to hand out another beating to Master Minded in the Amlin Chase after thumping that rival in Aintree's Old Roan Chase. The latter is becoming a frustrating horse to follow, and I suspect his best days are behind him while the idea that he might beat Long Run in the King George seems fanciful to say the least.

November's excellent month's action reaches an appropriate climax with the three-day Hennessy Gold Cup meeting. This year the great staying chase takes place on Novermber 26, and this year's renewal seems more open than usual and lacks a real star among its 46 entries.

Paul Nicholls will surely be aiming his Flat track specialist Aiteenthirtythree at the huge prize, and this is just the type to go well at Newbury.

Over at Newcastle on the same day some of the leading Champion Hurdle hopes will be testing their credentials in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Gosforth Park.

Perhaps Binocular will be among them but the one-time Champion Hurdler looks one to avoid after some lacklustre efforts last term, and he looks a horse who is rapidly on the slide for Nicky Henderson.

Malcolm Heyhoe writes weekly horse racing articles for GG.COM-Horse racing betting, information, news, results and free daily tips

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