3 minute read

Litigant rounded off his season in fine style as he landed the Betfred November Handicap at Doncaster.

Joe Tuite's charge was a shock winner of the Ebor at York in August but he was not unfancied as a 10-1 shot as he dropped back to 12 furlongs on Town Moor.

It looked like being a dream result for Hayley Turner as she hit the front aboard Buonarotti on her final ride before retirement.

However, Litigant was delivered with a perfectly-timed challenge by George Baker, starting his run in earnest with around two furlongs to run.

Turner gave her best aboard the runner-up but Litigant was far too good, defying top weight to win by an eased-down four and a half lengths.

Esteaming claimed third, beaten two and a half lengths, with Mistiroc fourth after steering a wide route in the early stages.

Baker was thrilled to renew his association with Litigant, who he rode to victory three times when the horse was trained by Seamus Durack.

He told Channel 4 Racing: "He's a high-class horse. I had a lot to do with him when he was with Seamus Durack and I remember I sat on him when he worked at Salisbury earlier in the year on knee-deep ground and he absolutely flew through it and I was very confident today.

"He had legitimate excuses at Ascot last time (when ninth in the Long Distance Cup), it was a messy race. I know he had top weight but he is a class horse and without doubt he is going to step up and be a Cup horse next year.

"The only thing is you couldn't run him on too quick a ground as he is fragile. Obviously you want to maintain the form he is in so you would have to look for safe ground."

Turner was given a warm reception on her return to the second spot and she was full of praise for both her mount and the winning rider.

She told At The Races: "I'm delighted for George, he works so hard. He's a heavy chap and he has to really put the effort in.

"The horse ran a blinder. Declan actually really fancied him before the race so he gave me plenty of confidence.

"I did (think I might) win but when George came past me like that, I thought he would do well to hang on for second now and he did and kept going.

"He's run a blinder. There's no tears - I feel all right about it."

Tuite believes Litigant's effort represented Pattern-class form and is looking forward to next year with his charge now.

He said: "There's a lot of satisfaction and a bit of relief as well.

"It wasn't the plan originally to be in the November Handicap but when we ran at Ascot last time, things just didn't go to plan at all so we said we would come and give it a go. I think he proved today what a good horse he really is.

"We've always said he's a Group horse and I think that was a Group Two or Three performance today. George couldn't believe how well he was going when he pulled him out, he said he just kept coming. He said he could have been clever, but there was no point in that ground.

"We've got lucky. We've got him right for the Ebor and since the Ebor, there's been no hurdles. We went to France to run on Arc day and the ground was too fast and it was hard to take him out as we were all there and keyed up to run.

"I said if we ran the horse, we would wreck him and there's big days in him for us yet, so we had to be patient.

"Then we went to Ascot for Champions Day, we got trapped out wide and it never happened but today it's come good."