Royal Line has capped John Gosden‘s remarkable season with a record sixth victory for the trainer in Doncaster‘s November Handicap.
Gosden’s Group One exploits at home and abroad led by Enable and Cracksman have been a high-profile theme throughout the summer.
It was therefore a highly appropriate culmination in the November Handicap, on the final day of the turf season, that Royal Line put behind him his failure as favourite 12 months ago.
He scooted clear at 9-1 this time under Robert Havlin to beat Hughie Morrison‘s 33-1 shot Not So Sleepy and Ian Williams‘ Reshoun .
Gosden, who had failed to add to his record-equalling fifth November Handicap success for the past six years, took the family tally to nine – adding to his father Towser’s three winners.
In Gosden’s absence, Havlin was happy to pay tribute to the master trainer’s skills.
“We’ve seen how he can turn horses out after a long lay-off – then we saw Enable again (at the Breeders’ Cup) last week,” he said.
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