Doncaster Racecourse

Malt Or Mash and Oh Glory Be for November Handicap

Margarson Considering November Handicap
for Young Mick

Heron Bay Set to Fly in November Handicap

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totesport.com November Stakes (Heritage Handicap)
10/11/07

1st 11 Malt Or Mash 5/1 2F
2nd 8 Sanbuch 13/2
3rd 6 Night Crescendo 50/1
4th 18 Tropical Strait 12/1

Powell Optimistic Over Inchloch’s Chances in totesport.com November Handicap 08/11/07

A maximum field of 23 has been declared for the £75,000 totesport.com November Handicap, the highlight of the final day of the Flat turf season at Doncaster on Saturday, November 10.

Trainer Brendan Powell is looking forward to a good performance in the 12-furlong event from the five-year-old Inchloch, who was a staying-on fourth last time out in the Trade Union Unison “Your Friend At Work” Handicap, run over the same distance at Doncaster on October 27.

The Twyford-based handler believes that Inchloch, set to carry 8st 1lb in Saturday’s contest, was unlucky on that occasion and hopes that the gelding will run a big race.

Powell said: “Inchloch is lightly raced this year because he picked up a slight injury at Lingfield at the beginning of March. He needed his run at Windsor badly, and it was a cracking run last time at Doncaster.

“Richard Quinn said at the time that Inchloch should have finished second, and he got no run whatsoever. He stayed one and a half miles really well that time, and he’s definitely got a good chance off a light weight this time.”

Powell has little concern about the likely going on Saturday, as Inchloch has performed well on decent ground throughout his career.

He continued: “They are due a drop of rain at Doncaster, and providing there’s no sting in the ground he’ll run. He won his maiden for James Fanshawe on firm ground as a three-year-old, and he’s also scored on decent going last July at Newbury.

“Dale Gibson takes the ride, and you don’t get more experienced at that weight. It’s a big race and Inchloch won’t disgrace himself. He is in real good order.”

Inchloch, rated a 25/1 shot by totesport, has raced three times this season. After injuring himself in a handicap on the Polytrack at Lingfield on March 1, the five-year-old was unlucky when fifth on his racecourse return at Windsor on October 1, running on well despite being carried right on leaving the stalls.

Godolphin’s New Guinea heads the weights for the totesport.com November Handicap on 9st 10lb. Godolphin also run Rampallion while the Paul Cole-trained Pippa Greene, unbeaten in three outings, is the 11/2 clear favourite with totesport.

Other interesting contenders for the totesport.com November Handicap include the Geoff Wragg-trained Heron Bay, successful in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot while Richard Hannon is doubly represented with Malt Or Mash and Oh Glory Be.

Recent Newbury handicap scorer Heaven Knows is 7/1 second favourite with totesport but has yet to win beyond 10 furlongs.

Jamie Spencer and Seb Sanders, neck and neck in the race for the jockeys’ championship both have a ride. Spencer will be aboard favourite Pippa Greene while Sanders is set to partner 25/1 shot John Terry, trained by Amanda Perrett and successful at Newmarket in July.

Kevin Darley, who will bring down the curtain on his career after riding at Doncaster on Saturday, will be bidding for a final big-race win on Akarem, trained by Karl Burke and third last time out over the course and distance in the Trade Union Unison “Your Friend At Work” Handicap on October 27.

LATEST totesport ODDS FOR THE totesport.com NOVEMBER HANDICAP
11/2 Pippa Greene, 7/1 Heaven Knows, 7/1 Malt Or Mash, 10/1 Tropical Strait, 11/1 Sanbuch, 12/1 New Guinea, 12/1 Heron Bay, 14/1 Greek Envoy, 16/1 Bandama, 16/1 Oh Glory Be, 18/1 Rampallion, 20/1 Akarem, 25/1 Dzesmin, 25/1 Inchloch, 25/1 John Terry, 25/1 La Estrella, 25/1 Lundy’s Lane, 25/1 Night Crescendo, 25/1 Philanthropy, 25/1 Realism, 33/1 Turn Of Phrase, 66/1 Bazart, 66/1 Chicken Soup

Each-Way: 1/4 Places at 1, 2, 3, 4

AWARDS AND END OF SEASON PARTY AT DONCASTER!

totesport.com November Handicap day, Saturday, November 10, celebrates the British Flat season of 2007 and presentations to the Champion Trainer, Champion Owner, Champion Jockey and Champion Apprentice will take place. The thrilling battle to be Champion Jockey between Jamie Spencer and Seb Sanders could go right through to the final race.

New awards to add to the end of season party include the newly commissioned owners and trainers trophies provided by the British Horseracing Authority. Paul Roy (Chairman of the BHA) and Nic Coward (Chief Executive of the BHA) are expected on the day to present these trophies to representatives from Godolphin (leading owner) and Aidan O’Brien (leading trainer). Reigning champion jockey Ryan Moore will be present to crown the new champion jockey.

The apprentice jockeys award, which goes to Greg Fairley, is sponsored by the Jockeys Association of Great Britain. New JAGB Chief Executive Josh Apiafi will be in attendance.

Channel 4 will provide highlight clips to each presentation which will be shown on the big screen and other screens around the course. The presentations will be filmed by Channel 4 and shown live if time allows.

After racing it’s the End of Season Party! Kings Of Queen, an exciting and powerful four-piece band who accurately recreate the phenomenon that was Queen, will perform in the new Lazarus Exhibition Hall of the Urban-i Grandstand.

totesport.com NOVEMBER HANDICAP HISTORY

The totesport.com November Handicap originated as the Manchester November Handicap and was first run at Manchester Racecourse in 1876.

Upon the closure of the Castle Irwell course in 1963, the race was transferred to its now established home at Town Moor Doncaster in 1964. The first Doncaster running of the historic race, staged as the Ovaltine Manchester Handicap over a mile and a half, went to the Bernard Van Cutsem-trained Osier, who got up close home under Doug Smith to defeat Space King by half a length for a 20/1 success.

The race initially formed part of the Observer Gold Cup (now the Racing Post Trophy) card and took place in October before moving to a November slot in 1976.

Totesport took over sponsorship in 1994 when the Luca Cumani-trained Saxon Maid captured the Tote Credit November Handicap for Sheikh Mohammed, who has seen his maroon and white colours carried to victory three times (Turgenev in 1992 and Sabadilla in 1997 also prevailed), making him the most successful owner in the history of the contest since it was run at Doncaster.

Willie Carson triumphed more times in the November Handicap than any other jockey. His three victories came aboard King Top (1972), Azzaam (1990) and Hieroglyphic (1991).

Carson is one of five riders to have ridden back-to-back winners of the race. The others are Sandy Barclay (1966 Polish Warrior and 1967 Bugle Boy), George Duffield (1981 Lafontaine and 1982 Double Shuffle), Mark Birch (1987 Swingit Gunner and 1988 Young Benz) and Jason Weaver (1993 Quick Ransom and 1994 Saxon Maid).

The other multiple winning riders since 1964 are Joe Mercer (Misty Light 1971 and Bold Rex 1985) and Darryll Holland (Turgenev 1992 and Yavanna’s Pace 1998), who is the only current jockey to have captured the November Handicap more than once. Bold Rex was also the final victory of Joe Mercer’s career prior to his retirement at the end of the 1985 season.

Sandy Barclay’s two successes came for Epsom Derby-winning trainer Arthur Budgett who also had the distinction of winning the November Handicap as an owner with Morse Code in 1979.

Morse Code was trained by John Dunlop who has secured three successes in the race, thanks also to Bold Rex in 1985 and Azzaam in 1990, making him the equal winning-most trainer alongside John Gosden.

Gosden’s three November Handicap triumphs came with Hieroglyphic (1991) Turgenev (1992) and Sabadilla (1997). The trainer, whose father Towser Gosden saddled Concealdem to victory in 1965, had the first two home in 1992 as 11/4 favourite Daru chased home his less- fancied stablemate.

In 1989 the race moved to Thirsk following problems with drainage on the course at Doncaster and the Ben Hanbury-trained Firelight Fiesta took the spoils. The race was staged at Windsor in 2006 while Town Moor underwent its £34-million redevelopment and Group Captain, trained by Roger Charlton, emerged victorious under Richard Hughes.

totesport.com NOVEMBER HANDICAP FACTS AND FIGURES

This year marks the 44th running of the November Handicap at Doncaster and the 14th since the tote took over sponsorship of the race in 1994. Having begun life in 1876 as the Manchester November Handicap, the race switched to Doncaster in 1964 following the closure of Manchester and was run as the Manchester Handicap until 1976.

When Osier lined up for the 1964 race, the field of 28 was competing for a pot worth £4,471 10 shillings. This year, the totesport.com November Handicap carries total prize money of £75,000.

Favourites have a poor record in the race with only six market leaders rewarding punters in 43 renewals. The successful favourites in that time were Gritti Palace (1974), Morse Code (1979), Firelight Fiesta (1989), Hieroglyphic (1991), Quick Ransom (1993) and Snow Princess (1995).

With favourites faring so badly, it is perhaps not surprising that 27 of the 43 runnings of the Doncaster November Handicap have gone to horses with a starting price of 10/1 or bigger (including both horses, Double Shuffle & Turkoman who dead-heated in 1982). The longest-priced winner of the race was the Reg Hollinshead-trained 50/1 shot Royal Cavalier, who saw off 7/1 joint-favourite Mesmeric by a head in 2001.

The biggest field lined up in 1968 when Zardia saw off 28 rivals, while the smallest turn-out came in 1975 when only a dozen went to post. The safety limit is now 23.

Yavanna’s Pace (1998), Swingit Gunner (1987) and Concealdem (1965) are the three oldest victors. All were six-year-olds.

Three-year-olds have a good record in the race, having won 23 of 43 runnings. Four-year-olds have taken 14 renewals of the November Handicap at Doncaster. There have been four successes by five-year-olds.

The Mark Johnston-trained Yavanna’s Pace holds the weight-carrying record in the Doncaster November Handicap. The six-year-old shouldered 9st 10lb to victory, in contrast to the featherweight 7st carried to success by Gritti Palace in 1974 under his 7lb claimer Richard Fox.

Willie Carson is the winning-most jockey in the history of the race with three successes aboard King Top (1972), Azzaam (1990) and Hieroglyphic (1991), while John Gosden and John Dunlop share the distinction of being the most successful trainers with three wins each.

Sheikh Mohammed has more wins than any other owner, having seen his famous maroon and white silks carried to victory on three occasions by Turgenev (1992), Saxon Maid (1994) and Sabadilla (1997).

Since 1964, the race has twice been staged away from Town Moor. Thirsk hosted the 1989 renewal won by Firelight Fiesta after drainage problems caused the abandonment of racing at that year’s St Leger meeting. Doncaster’s stunning £34-million redevelopment meant that Windsor was the venue in 2006 when Group Captain took the spoils.

Arthur Budgett, who famously owned and trained the Derby-winning brothers Blakeney and Morston, is the only person to have succeeded in the Doncaster November Handicap as both a trainer and an owner. He saddled Polish Warrior (1966) and Bugle Boy (1967) to success and saw the John Dunlop-trained Morse Code carry his colours to victory in 1979.

totesport.com NOVEMBER HANDICAP ROLL OF HONOUR
1964 -2006

YEAR WINNER AGE/WT OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY SP RAN

*2006 GROUP CAPTAIN 4-9-05 Peter Webb Roger Charlton Richard Hughes 10/1 20
2005 COME ON JOHNNY 3-8-00 A Frost Ralph Beckett Nelson de Souza(3) 14/1 21
2004 CARTE DIAMOND 3-9-06 Ashley Carr Brian Ellison Kieren Fallon 12/1 24
2003 TURBO 4-9-02 Peter Richardson Toby Balding Tony Clark 25/1 24
2002 RED WINE 3-8-01 Paul Dixon Jamie Osborne Martin Dwyer 16/1 23
2001 ROYAL CAVALIER 4-7-10 The Three Rs Reg Hollinshead Paul Quinn(3) 50/1 24
2000 BATSWING 5-8-08 Ashley Carr Brian Ellison Robert Winston 14/1 20
1999 FLOSSY 3-7-07 Guy Reed Chris Thornton Tony Beech(5) 5/1 16
1998 YAVANNA’S PACE 6-9-10 Joan Keaney Mark Johnston Darryll Holland 8/1 23
1997 SABADILLA 3-7-08 Sheikh Mohammed John Gosden Royston Ffrench(3) 10/1 24
1996 CLIFTON FOX 4-8-10 P&S Partnership Jeremy Glover Nigel Day 9/1 22
1995 SNOW PRINCESS 3-8-02 Lord Weinstock & Lord Huntingdon Richard Hills 5/1F 18
The Hon Simon Weinstock
1994 SAXON MAID 3-8-09 Sheikh Mohammed Luca Cumani Jason Weaver 16/1 24
1993 QUICK RANSOM 5-8-10 J Morrison Mark Johnston Jason Weaver 6/1F 25
1992 TURGENEV 3-9-00 Sheikh Mohammed John Gosden Darryll Holland 10/1 25
1991 HIEROGLYPHIC 3-8-13 Robert Sangster John Gosden Willie Carson 11/4F 22
1990 AZZAAM 3-9-08 Hamdan Al Maktoum John Dunlop Willie Carson 7/1 24
**1989 FIRELIGHT FIESTA 4-9-08 Mrs John Lamb Ben Hanbury Bruce Raymond 9/2F 19
1988 YOUNG BENZ 4-8-04 T Bennett Mick Easterby Mark Birch 12/1 22
1987 SWINGIT GUNNER 6-8-11 Mrs G Barnes Colin Tinkler Mark Birch 9/1 25
1986 BEIJING 3-8-04 Binfield Manor Farms Paul Cole Richard Quinn 16/1 25
1985 BOLD REX 3-8-07 Lord Granard John Dunlop Joe Mercer 20/1 24
1984 ABU KADRA 3-8-12 Muttar Salem Michael Stoute Walter Swinburn 25/1 23
1983 ASIR 3-8-07 Yazid & Ahmed Ltd Guy Harwood Greville Starkey 10/1 25
1982 DOUBLE SHUFFLE 3-9-00 David Sieff Gavin Pritchard-Gordon George Duffield 12/1 17
TURKOMAN 3-8-07 M Pote Duncan Sasse Denis McKay 20/1
1981 LAFONTAINE 4-8-07 Mrs J Bigg Clive Brittain George Duffield 16/1 20
1980 PATH OF PEACE 4-8-05 L Gold Chris Thornton Jimmy Bleasdale 14/1 22
1979 MORSE CODE 4-8-03 Arthur Budgett John Dunlop Paul Cook 11/2F 14
1978 EASTERN SPRING 4-7-10 F Vittadini Luca Cumani Michael Wigham 17/2 21
1977 SAILCLOTH 3-7-07 Lord Porchester William Hastings-Bass Taffy Thomas 13/2 20
1976 GALE BRIDGE 3-8-12 J Byrne Ryan Price Brian Taylor 10/1 14
1975 MR BIGMORE 3-9-01 E Lambton Peter Robinson Greville Starkey 100/30 12
1974 GRITTI PALACE 5-7-00 Mrs J Fisher Peter Robinson Richard Fox (7) 7/2F 21
1973 ONLY FOR JO 3-7-04 D Toomey Ron Smyth Ian Jenkinson (7) 13/1 22
1972 KING TOP 3-7-11 Lady Halifax John Oxley Willie Carson 6/1 16
1971 MISTY LIGHT 3-8-05 Robin Scully Sam Armstrong Joe Mercer 25/1 20
1970 SARACENO 5-9-02 Gerry Oldham Harry Wragg Graham Sexton 15/2 21
1969 TINTAGEL II 4-9-00 Mrs R Sturdy Richmond Sturdy Lester Piggott 15/1 21
1968 ZARDIA 4-7-08 A Vasey S Gillatt Roy Still (5) 25/1 29
1967 BUGLE BOY 4-7-08 E Rigden Arthur Budgett Sandy Barclay 22/1 25
1966 POLISH WARRIOR 3-7-03 Col P Wright Arthur Budgett Sandy Barclay 100/6 26
1965 CONCEALDEM 6-8-10 G Taylor Towser Gosden Ron Hutchinson 100/8 18
1964 OSIER 4-7-10 D Montagu Bernard Van Cutsem Doug Smith 20/1 28
*run at Windsor
**run at Thirsktotesport.com NOVEMBER HANDICAP DAY

Doncaster, Saturday, November 10, 2007
Time Race Distance Prize Money
12.25pm Tony Hallatt Memorial Apprentice Handicap 7f £10,000
1.00pm First Transforming Travel In Doncaster EBF Maiden Stakes 6f £8,000
1.30pm Bet In-Play At totesport.com Nursery Handicap 6f £10,000
2.05pm totesport 0800 221 221 EBF Gillies Fillies’ Stakes (Listed) 1m 2f 60yds £30,000
2.35pm totetentofollow.co.uk Wentworth Stakes (Listed) 6f £40,000
3.10pm totesport.com November Handicap 1m 4f £75,000
3.45pm totesportgames.com Handicap 2m 110yds £25,000

TOTAL £198,000