Newmarket‘s Future Champions Festival is shaping up nicely. Confirmations are in for the meeting’s three showpiece contests, and while the Dewhurst has cut up to a select field of seven, the Cesarewitch has attracted its usual army of stayers.
Musical Times heads 12 fillies in Friday’s bet365 Fillies’ Mile, Desert Castle leads a septet in Saturday’s Darley Dewhurst Stakes, and 42 remain in the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch, ten more than can run. Here is how each field shapes up.
Fillies’ Mile: Musical Times heads 12
12 fillies stood their ground for the £500,000 Fillies’ Mile on Friday 9 October, due off at 2.57pm. The star attraction is Charlie Appleby’s Musical Times, who is unbeaten in three starts and as short as 1/2 to make it four. She went from a novice winner at Yarmouth to an impressive May Hill Stakes success at Doncaster last month, where William Buick had her travelling strongly before she drew clear inside the final furlong.
Her chief market rival is Edward Bethell’s Rogue Passion, who has won her last two and will be ridden by Rossa Ryan; her latest form was franked significantly at Longchamp over the weekend. Meanwhile, Andrew Balding, very much in the thick of the trainers’ title race, has two in the line-up. Unbeaten Forbidden Fire beat the colts in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster under Oisin Murphy, who again takes the ride, while the consistent Scommessa Sicura also takes her chance. The Crisfords’ Lex Victoria is another unbeaten filly, having won her first two starts at Newmarket and Kempton.
Then there is Aidan O’Brien’s contingent. He is the most successful trainer in the history of the race with seven wins, the latest coming with Precise 12 months ago, and he accounts for half the field this time. Haven is the shortest-priced of his sextet at around 12/1, with May Hill third Speckles, Exceptionally, Ibelieveicanfly, Nevermindtherain and So Lovely completing the Ballydoyle contingent. Joseph O’Brien’s Dancing Destiny rounds off the field.
Dewhurst Stakes: Desert Castle leads select septet
Just seven remain for Saturday’s £500,000 Darley Dewhurst Stakes over 7f, and it is a field with real quality at the top. Charlie Appleby’s Desert Castle heads the betting at 5/4 after two wins from two. He followed an impressive newcomers’ success at Newmarket in August with a ready win in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, despite dwelling at the start and hanging left once in front.
His biggest danger on the book comes from Ballydoyle. Darkness Falls is already a Group 1 winner, having beaten his rivals easily in the Golden Fleece Stakes at Leopardstown last month, and drops back in trip from 9f. O’Brien, who shares the record for Dewhurst wins with eight, also confirmed Coventry Stakes winner Great Barrier Reef, who was just touched off at odds-on in the Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh last time, and Curragh maiden winner Raging Bull.
Balding is the defending trainer after Gewan’s success 12 months ago, and he relies on Gentle Hurricane, second in the Acomb Stakes and fourth behind Desert Castle in the Champagne. Roger Varian’s Rock Montreal, beaten a head by Forbidden Fire at Doncaster, and Appleby’s second string Jassas complete the line-up. Among the notable absentees are National Stakes winner Folsom Blues and Royal Lodge winner Haffner, neither of whom was confirmed.
Cesarewitch: 42 remain for 32 places
The Cesarewitch is one of the great betting puzzles of the autumn, and this year’s renewal is no exception. 42 remain for the £175,000 marathon handicap over 2m2f at 3.40pm on Saturday, but only 32 can run, so ten will miss out if all stand their ground.
Ian Williams’ defending champion Beylerbeyi heads the market at 5/1, with James Owen’s Kirchner next at 8/1. Brian Ellison’s Sea Lantern carries a 4lb penalty but remains popular at 12/1, while John and Thady Gosden’s Valedictory is also penalised and has William Buick booked. Jim Goldie’s Mountain Road is another towards the head of the betting.
The Irish challenge is as strong as ever. Charles Byrnes’ Reverend Hubert is a course-and-distance winner, Emmet Mullins sends Cock And Bull and Dream On Baby, and Joseph O’Brien has a typically strong hand, headed by topweight A Piece Of Heaven on 9st 12lb and the evergreen Dawn Rising. Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott and Tony Martin are all represented too.
Balding has three in the mix, with Tactician, Berkshire Sundance and Shrimp Shady all confirmed. With the trainers’ title so finely poised, there is no such thing as small change.
For full details of all the runners, check out our Newmarket racecards.