Metier just magic for Saffie Osborne in November Handicap

High-class hurdler takes final big prize of Flat season at Doncaster.

Metier carried apprentice Saffie Osborne to the biggest domestic success of her career so far when taking the BetGoodwin November Handicap at Doncaster.

The Harry Fry-trained gelding is more often seen running over hurdles and is a Grade One winner in that arena, taking the Tolworth in January last year on heavy ground.

It is in the mud that he is happiest and Fry has been plotting a Flat handicap bid for him for some time, but when rain failed to fall his designs on the Chester Cup did not materialise.

There has been plenty of rain in Yorkshire over the past few days, however, and in heavy ground he happily splashed to a straightforward success under Osborne, who recently rode her first Group winner aboard Ed Walker’s Random Harvest at San Siro in Italy.

A 13-2 shot, the six-year-old carried a middling 8st 13lb burden that was eased by his rider’s 3lb claim.

Metier and Saffie Osborne
Metier and Saffie Osborne (Nigel French/PA)

Always competitive, when the race reached the business end Metier’s stamina saw him home and he was eventually triumphant by a length and a quarter.

“He was a little bit fresh early on, but he actually dropped the bridle really nicely and to be honest, I felt like I had them covered,” Osborne said.

“He stays really well, Harry said he was in great shape and he definitely is. I just hope it rains before Royal Ascot next year!

“He makes this ground feel like good ground when everything else is struggling in it.

“I was meant to ride him in the Chester Cup, but the rain didn’t come and I was gutted that day.”

The success now means Osborne – who was crowned top rider in the Racing League series this year, picking up a GBP 20,000 bouns – has just one winner left to ride before she loses her claim altogether and is no longer an apprentice.

She said: “To end the season on this is amazing, I’ve got one more win left on my claim so to get that big handicap while I’m still claiming has always been a big target.”

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