Racing: Yavana's Pace makes his class count

CLASS TOLD. Yavana's Pace, the top weight, landed the November Handicap over a mile and a half at Doncaster yesterday as the Flat turf season, drew to a close. Yavana's Pace was sent to the front over two furlongs out by Darryll Holland, his jockey, and never looked like being caught.

Carlys Quest, last on the home turn, finished powerfully to be beaten one and a quarter lengths in second. Dato Star, the 9-2 favourite, under pressure from a long way out, was third.

Mark Johnston, Yavana's Pace's trainer, said: "This is a great way to end things. Yavana's Pace is a special horse and I always thought he was the right type for this race. When he ran at Beverley for me first time he struck me then as being similar to Quick Ransom who this race in 1993."

Johnston may take Yavana's Pace to Australia next year for the Melbourne Cup. But, before then, Yavana's Pace may go hurdling. Johnston added: "We said if he ran badly here we wouldn't consider it, but now he's won it's a possibility. But he's only going to go hurdling if we think he can go all the way to Cheltenham. He's schooled over hurdles in Ireland but we wouldn't be taking any chances and he would be properly prepared at home."

Coral quote Yavana's Pace at 20-1 for the 1999 Champion Hurdle.

Johnston was responsible for Gaelic Storm, the favourite in the concluding event, the Charles Sidney Mercedes Benz Wentworth Stakes. But he was unable to make an impact as Gorse proved too sharp for Yorkies Boy.

Joe Tizzard and Timmy Murphy rode an 8-1 treble and 200-1 four-timer at Chepstow and Sandown respectively. Six of those were trained by Paul Nicholls, who sent out seven winners in all at odds of 1,288-1. Tizzard was successful on Calling Wild, Irbee and Nearly An Eye. Murphy won on Laredo, Chai-Yo, Court Melody and Mr Strong Gale.

Mister Morose landed a spectacular gamble from 20-1 in the morning down to 10-1 when running away with the Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow. Carl Llewellyn, his jockey, made good headway on the home turn on Mister Morose, returning from an absence of 624 days through injury, before galloping strongly up the straight to win by 13 lengths.

Conor O'Dwyer helped himself to a 42-1 treble at Naas, capped by a hard- earned victory on Lord Dal in the Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle. The rider, soon to start a 21-day ban unless this Friday's appeal to the Irish Turf Club is successful, started the ball rolling by winning the Paddy Cox Handicap Chase on Emerald Gale. He then had an armchair ride on Joe Mac, who scored easily on his jumping debut in the Weatherbys Ireland Maiden Hurdle.

Christy Roche, Joe Mac's trainer, said: "I will not be over-racing him this season because he is still weak. I think a lot of him and he will improve for the run as he has come back a much stronger and heavier horse than in the spring."

The trainer Kim Bailey, who won the Grand National in 1990 with Mr Frisk and sent out Alderbrook and Master Oats to win the Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup respectively in 1996, has been bailed over allegations he conspired to commit burglary. Lambourn-based Bailey is due to answer bail on 17 December. The arrests followed secret surveillance after police had been contacted by Jamie Osborne, recently cleared during on-going race-fixing and doping inquiries.