November Handicap - 8th November, Doncaster 3:35 - Preview

This Saturday (8th November) sees the 2014 renewal of Doncaster`s November handicap with last year`s third Open Eagle looking to go two places better this time around. The ante-post market is currently a closely-contested affair with 50 runners still staking claims to be at the starting post come 3:35 this weekend. It`s Mount Logan that is the 10/1 favourite at this early stage, though no market leader has finished first since Richard Hills` Snow Princess back in 1995.

Not only will Luca Cumani`s colt be looking to overturn this statistic, should the three-time winner remain at the head of affairs, Mount Logan will also be attempting to be the first triumphant three year old since Malt or Mash in 2007.

The lightly-raced entrant should line-up fresh off the back of a course and distance victory back in September, justifying favouritism to beat such highly-regarded elders as Bold Sniper, Mighty Yar and Wigmore Hall. It was Mount Logan`s first run at a mile and a half though kept on impressively, beating Charlie Hills` Forgotten Hero by just over two lengths.

Should he run, punters will be hoping for drying ground, his only attempt on good to soft put pay to his chances in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes at Newmarket last year, and for the booking of Andrea Atzeni, the in-form rider who has teamed up with Mount Logan for the horse`s last three rides.

Joint second favourites are the aforementioned Open Eagle (10/1 - Numerous) and Low Key (10/1 - paddy Power, Skybet), who will go into the final day of the flat season looking for his third win on the bounce.

David O`Meara`s Open Eagle failed to challenge Conduct in last year`s 23-strong November Handicap, being easily usurped at the head of proceedings two furlongs out and eventually finishing seven and a half lengths shy of William Haggas` 8/1 shot.

Confidence will be high, however, after the five year old overcame a string of lacklustre performances to win two large handicaps on good to soft and soft respectively in the space of a month.

The first was a class four, 10 furlong effort at York, showing encouraging grit to see off Ginger Jack who battled for the lead late on. A fourth place in Doncaster`s 12 furlong Bet Through The Racing Post Handicap (beaten by Latenightrequest, a 14/1 shot for Saturday`s feature race) was recorded before beating Tim Easterby`s Maven into second at Redcar last time out.

Stamina may be a concern for the horse who has never passed the post first over a mile and a half. He does, though, have a tendency to secure his best results towards the tail end of the season and is sure to appreciate any cut in the ground should he be seen on Saturday.

A victory on Saturday will see Low Key the first seven year old to win the race in over thirty years. It will only be the horse`s the second run for David Pipe after being transferred from the stables of John Butler. Alice Mills secured her mount`s first victory for Pipe in a Newbury 12 furlong handicap for female amateur riders. Low Key finished eight lengths clear of his nearest rival Shades of Grey.

Prior to this success, the horse justified odds-on favouritism to seal another mile and a half. This time the win came on Polytrack at Kempton under the guidance of Liam Keniry. Not only will Low Key have to overcome his relative inexperience in spite of his age, however, the horse will also be looking to take a big step up in class.

Other names to look out for in the weekend`s feature race include Old Town Boy (12/1 - Numerous) who will try to round of a season to remember for trainer Charlie McBride, 40/1 winner of the betfred TV Stakes Farquhar (14/1 - bet365, betfred, ladbrokes, Totesport) and experienced 12 miler Esteaming (16/1- Numerous).

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05/11/2014     © Frixo 2026