It’s the Flat season finale at Doncaster on Saturday afternoon at 3:45pm as the 2024 November Handicap takes centre stage. One of the most competitive races in the calendar, this year’s contest has attracted a stellar field and our in-house tipster Steve Chambers previews the race and tries to pick his 1-2-3 in the 1m 3f 197y contest.
VALVANO
(Hector Crouch/Ralph Beckett)
There have been two three-year-old winners of the November Handicap in the last 15 years, but another of the Classic generation looking to etch their name on to the illustrious roll of honour is Ralph Beckett’s Valvano, who looks a leading contender for this prize. Two lengths behind the Group 1 star Notable Speech earlier in the season, the Night Of Thunder was last seen finishing third in a competitive looking race at York and off the same mark of 97 here he looks capable of going close again.
MASTER BUILDER
(William Buick/David Menuisier)
A winner at Haydock two starts ago, Master Builder then ran a stormer to finish third in a staying York contest. He had previously finished third in the Melrose Handicap on the Knavesmire, so he’s been a really consistent performer. David Menuisier’s charge will drop back in trip for this event, which is certainly a slight worry, but if they go hard out front then he has to be one of those finishing strongly in the closing stages.
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Wed 06 Nov 2024MILLER SPIRIT
(Tom Queally/Gary & Josh Moore)
Gary & Josh Moore’s Miller Spirit is the form horse heading into this contest, as the four-year-old son of Australia has racked up three wins on the spin and is bidding a four-timer here. He followed up a brace of wins at Epsom Downs with a taking victory at Newbury, but he’s been given another 7lbs rise for that success in Berkshire, so he will have to defy a career high mark of 97 to land this prize. There’s no doubting he will run a huge race, but could he just be at the end of his winning streak?
THE FIELD
David O’Meara won this back in 2014 with Open Eagle and he will saddle Stressfree, who is ridden by Jamie Spencer and upped in trip he’s one that will be looking to strike late. A winner at Bath last month, Tom Dascombe’s Auld Toon Loon heads to Yorkshire in fine fettle and looks another leading player, while Minstrel Knight and Lord Melbourne are another brace of contenders that have strong each-way claims. Third in the Ebor Handicap at York earlier in the season, Oneforthegutter will line up off the same mark of 90 for this contest, so if he can produce anything like that then he has to be a huge player at big odds. Chillingham and Insanity are another brace of contenders that are entitled to take their chance and have to be considered.
VERDICT
A wide open renewal, but it’s ONEFORTHEGUTTER, who was an excellent third behind Magical Zoe in the Ebor Handicap, and while this is a drop back in trip, he runs off the same mark here. Sixth in the Old Borough Cup on his last event, he’s a horse that has shown he excels in big fields and can land this prize with Valvano chasing him home in second, with Stressfree bagging third.
2024 November Handicap Predicted 1-2-3
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