King Targets November Handicap
The end of the Flat Turf Season in the UK at Doncaster today.
We take aim at the November Handicap which his the final turf race of the season!
Alan King trained “On To Victory” to win this race back in 2020. Hopefully, he can repeat that win with Insanity who is crying out for soft ground. Over a year ago as a 3yo, he won over 1m4f on soft ground at Ffos Las. Alan upped him in class and trip in a heritage handicap next time out at York. Insanity raced too freely that day and didn’t see out the 1m6f trip.
He failed to fire over hurdles, so it was back on the flat in April when he won by a neck at Windsor. He raced twice at Ascot on good ground finishing second and then winning on Shergar Cup Day over 1m4f. I’m not sure what went wrong on his last start at York as he failed to finish off his race well that day. Alan has freshened up Insanity for a shot at winning this good pot. Rossa King rides and he has a decent draw in stall 11 carrying 9-4.
The ground is soft at Doncaster but not winter soft or heavy like in the past. Last year the November handicap was run at Newcastle on the all-weather due to flooding at Doncaster. Chillingham has been on my radar for this race since he finished third at Ripon last April. The ground was soft that day and he just lost out by three quarters of a length to Sea King over 1m4f. Sea King has gone up in the ratings and won the Bendigo Cup last month before failing to land a blow in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.
Chillingham ran better than his eleventh-place finish in the Ebor Handicap. Callum Rodriquez sent him for home a long way out and he just ran out of stamina in such a hot race. He ran well at Newbury to finish second behind Not So Sleepy on heavy ground in late September. The drop down to a mile and half should suit on soft ground.
It's a 23 runner race so there are dangers everywhere. Miller Spirit and Flash Bardot were the final two to be struck off the short list.
Doncaster 3:45
0.5 point each way Insanity 12/1 Bet365 else 11/1 Betfred, 6 places.
0.5 point each way Chillingham 9/1 BetMGM & Livescorebet, 6 places else 17/2 Skybet, 7 places.
Compare Odds at https://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Best of Luck,
Nicky
Past Results
Click to see past Big Saturday Race Preview Tips results
History
The event was originally held at the New Barns, Manchester, where it was called the Manchester November Handicap. It was established in 1876, and was initially run over 1 mile and 4 furlongs before contested over 1 mile and 6 furlongs in 1880. It was cut to its present length in 1902 when the race was re-located to the Castle Irwell course.
The race was staged at Pontefract from 1942 to 1945. It returned to Manchester in 1946, and continued there until the venue closed in 1963.
The event was transferred to Doncaster in 1964, and from this point it was known as the Manchester Handicap. For a period it took place in October, on the same day as the Observer Gold Cup. It was rescheduled for November and given its current title in 1976. There was a race called the November Handicap run at Doncaster’s concluding Flat meeting of the season prior to 1976 but was over the St. Leger distance of 1m 6f 127 yds.
The November Handicap is now run on the last day of Britain's turf flat racing season.
November Handicap Winners Over The Past 10 years
| Year | Winner | Age | Weight | Jockey | Trainer | SP | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Onesmoothoperator | 5 | 9–00 | Ben Robinson | Brian Ellison | 15/2 | 2:47.56 | |
| 2022 | Metier | 6 | 8-10 | Saffie Osborne | Harry Fry | 13/2 | 2:42.20 | |
| 2021 | Farhan | 3 | 8-03 | Hollie Doyle | John Bulter | 9/2F | 2:39.67 | |
| 2020 | On To Victory | 6 | 9-00 | James Doyle | Alan King | 10/1 | 2:36.52 | |
| 2019 | no race | |||||||
| 2018 | Royal Line | 4 | 9-08 | Robert Havlin | John Gosden | 9/1 | 2:40.26 | |
| 2017 | Saunter | 4 | 8-13 | Jim Crowley | Ian Williams | 6/1 | 2:39.54 | |
| 2016 | Prize Money | 3 | 8-10 | George Wood | Saeed bin Suroor | 4/1 | 2:31.42 | |
| 2015 | Litigant | 7 | 9-10 | George Baker | Joseph Tuite | 10/1 | 2:45.07 | |
| 2014 | Open Eagle | 5 | 8-12 | Daniel Tudhope | David O'Meara | 15/2 F | 2:48.22 |
Best of Luck,
Nicky