Racing: Due South to head north

ED DUNLOP yesterday reported Due South on course for Saturday's November Handicap, the Flat season's last big handicap contest at Doncaster.

His filly returned from a four-month break with a running-on third at Newmarket last month. Dunlop said: "She is in good shape and worked nicely on Friday so it is all systems go.

"She ran very well last time after a lay-off. We were delighted with her and the aim has always been to go for the November Handicap. She seems in good form and she hasn't had a hard campaign. As a two-year-old last year she came to herself at this time and hopefully she will do it again," the Newmarket trainer added.

But doubts emerged yesterday over the participation of leading ante-post fancies Raise A Prince and Veronica Franco in the race. But Dato Star - set to be reunited with Dane O'Neill - is firmly on course for the feature event on the final day of the turf Flat season.

Raise a Prince is quoted at 14-1 by William Hill to add the mile-and- a-half contest to victory in the Mail On Sunday Final at Ascot.

But trainer Sean Woods warned: "I have no idea whether he will run. He is also in a race on Friday and there is a Listed race on Saturday for him and I would be lying if I said I knew which he will run in.

"Neil Callan is booked for the November Handicap, so everything is in place, but there might not be many in the Listed race at this time of year so I will need to weigh up the entries.

"We have also got Mister Benjamin in the November Handicap so we will represented by one, or both."

NOVEMBER HANDICAP (Doncaster, Saturday) latest odds (William Hill): 9- 1 Edwardian, 10-1 Dato Star, Due South, Shouk, Yavana's Pace, 12-1 Jazil, Zalal, 14-1 Raise A Prince, 16-1 Rokeby Bowl, Veronica Franco, 20-1 others.