DEWHURST STAKES
Saturday 14th October, 2:00pm
City Of Troy @ 1/2
Iberian @ 4/1
Alyanaabi @ 8/1
Indian Run @ 18/1
Array @ 20/1
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
RACE
The Dewhurst is British flat racing’s, often Europe’s, number one race for two-year-olds and has been the stage for barnstorming performances by Classic hopefuls to keep their supporters nice and snug through the chilly winter months since it was first run in the late-nineteenth century. A star-laden roll of honour includes, since the turn of the century, Rock Of Gibraltar, Frankel and Native Trail, in whose honour the 2023 race is sponsored by the Darley breeding operation. has the singular advantage of being trained by eight-time winner Andre Fabre, plus fillies have an excellent record. In contrast, Japan has famously endured a string of near-misses so victory for the mare Through Seven Seas, which ran world champion Equinox to a neck in June, would represent an historic moment.
MARKET
Aidan O’Brien/Coolmore have carried off the Dewhurst prizes together seven times, and City Of Troy is all the rage to provide a record-equalling eighth success for O’Brien having won both of his starts, running away with a Curragh Maiden before a ruthless defeat of the re-opposing Haatem at Newmarket in July. The son of US Triple Crown winner Justify is already 2000 Guineas favourite, but has not raced for a bit and there must be slight ground concerns as he missed Ireland’s National Stakes in September because of rain-softened going. Such conditions will hold no fear for Iberian, a favourite of this column, which is perhaps unfortunate not to be unbeaten himself after a luckless run (behind Haatem) at Goodwood, but he was able to show his true metal in Doncaster’s Champagne Stakes when Rosallion, no less, was a well-held third; whether the subsequent Jean-Luc Lagardere winner was a little out of sorts or not that was a decent effort. If the weather does play a part the supplemented Array’s ability to cope with the soft and the likelihood he will thrive at the distance will be a plus.
CORNELIUS’ QUARTET
It seems Ireland targets the Cesarewitch (Newmarket 2-40) nearly as much as the major Cheltenham handicaps these days, and once again the Irish challengers look menacing, but off a two-pound lower weight level than when he was runner-up twelve months ago a bold show from Vino Victrix is again anticipated; at York in the Rockingham (1-15) Purosangue will surely relish the extra furlong after a run of near-misses, while in the feature (2-25) trainer Julie Camacho’s ‘second-string’ Pendleton remains well-handicapped and is fresher than most having made a (successful) return to the track after absence as recently as September; at Chepstow, the core NH season gets underway, and although Paul Nicholls usually bosses these two days, easy Perth winner Uncle Bert is fancied to continue the red-hot form of the Nigel Twiston-Davies stable in the Silver Trophy (4-15).
WINNER
In the Dewhurst, City Of Troy ticks the boxes but Iberian will exploit any chinks
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