STROLL ON SAUNTER
Crowley to get best from Williams ace
® Saturday, November 11, 2017
SAUNTER is the pick for the final major handicap of the Flat season.
The Betfred November Handicap is a tough nut to crack, and John Gosden has a great record in it.
Zuider Zee and Charm School are among his winners of the race so it is no surprise to see Royal Line at the head of the betting.
The lightly-raced three-year-old has won two of his three races before finishing last of three when odds-on at Newbury last time.
Plenty are prepared to forgive him that run, but there were no obvious excuses.
SAUNTER (3.15) in contrast ran a career-best at Newmarket last time on his first start for Ian Williams.
He has gone up 2lb but the booking of Jim Crowley looks significant as he was in the saddle when Saunter got off the mark at Goodwood last year.
Dance The Dream and Minotaur were on the short list as both have had the race as their end-of-season target for months.
Both have been drawn wide, though, so are best backed each-way.
Syphax has run well at York in his two most recent races, but those were over shorter trips. He has not won beyond seven furlongs.
Cohesion is a 20-1 shot because he was beaten at Plumpton last month. Put that race to one side, and he is entitled to be half those odds on his Flat form in France and on the all-weather this spring. IN ASSOCIATION WITH