D’Or seeking Dundalk Encore Encore D’Or will head to Ireland on Friday week in search of Group-race glory after he showed he was in good heart with a battling victory under top weight in the Racing UK Autumn Sprint Handicap at Leicester. The six-year-old sprinter, trained by Robert Cowell, will sign off for the season in the Group Three Mercury Stakes after beating Mirza by three-quarters of a length. Haddaf and Mirza set the pace but Jim Crowley had Encore D’Or (4-1) handily placed to make his challenge in the final furlong and quickly stamp his authority on the small field. Cowell said: “That was a tasty little event with a few horses going into it that were nicely handicapped. “It was a trappy event and we were delighted with Encore D’Or. He’s had a really good season and he’ll round off with a run in the Group Three at Dundalk in 10 days.”
