Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Buzz can strike in the November Handicap
BUZZ can end an incredible week for Hughie Morrison by bringing down the curtain on the Flat turf season with victory in Doncaster’s Marathonbet November Handicap this afternoon.
The East Ilsley handler endured the euphoria and then the agony of watching Marmelo finish second in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, but can at least have the satisfaction of ending the domestic campaign well.
Buzz heads to Town Moor on the back of a success at Newbury in September over a mile and a quarter on soft ground.
He only got up in the very last stride that day and will be much more at home over a mile and a half, having won over this distance in July.
Being by Motivator, Buzz will not mind any cut in the ground.
Donjuan Triumphant can take advantage of a drop in grade to get his head in front for the first time in over a year in the Marathonbet Official Global Partner Of Manchester City Wentworth Stakes.
The Andrew Balding-trained fiveyear-old ran a tremendous race to finish fourth in the Haydock Sprint Cup on heavy ground and put in another great effort when third to Sands Of Mali in the British Champions Sprint at Ascot last month. He drops into Listed company after those two Group Ones and can be rewarded with a deserved success.
Bigbadjohn returned to form with an all-the-way win at Wincanton a fortnight ago and can bag the valuable Badger Ales Trophy Handicap Chase back at the Somerset venue.
Nigel Twiston-Davies’s nine-yearold had been a smart novice, winning the Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot for Rebecca Curtis but has subsequently lost his way.
Twiston-Davies appears to have reignited his mojo.
Verdana Blue can follow up a recent success at Kempton with victory in the Unibet Elite Hurdle.
Nicky Henderson’s mare had reaped the benefit of a successful spin on the Flat at Chelmsford in late September with a convincing win over Old Guard back over jumps and can complete the hat-trick.
King’s Odyssey can get his campaign off to a good start by winning the Rewards4Racing Handicap Chase at Aintree, while Agrapart can make his class count in the British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre Hurdle despite not having raced since February.