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Twice Over seeks Champion repeat; Frankel, Dream Ahead clash in stellar Dewhurst Champions' Day at Newmarket looks set to host an outstanding day's racing Saturday, with superb renewals in prospect for both the £376,500 Champion S. (Eng-G1) and the £317,200 Dewhurst S. (Eng-G1). A total of 15 horses are engaged in the Champion following Monday's five-day confirmation stage, including Godolphin's POET'S VOICE (Dubawi), who was supplemented for the 10-furlong contest following a thrilling nose victory in the Queen Elizabeth II S. (Eng-G1) at Ascot last month. Last year's winner TWICE OVER (GB) (Observatory) is also set to return to the Rowley Mile, and the Henry Cecil-trained five-year-old will be joined by Epsom (Eng-G1) and Irish Oaks (Ire-G1) heroine SNOW FAIRY (Intikhab), representing Ed Dunlop, and GITANO HERNANDO (GB) (Hernando [Fr]), who gave trainer Marco Botti the biggest success of his fledgling career when landing the Goodwood S. (G1) at Santa Anita 12 months ago. After sending over Special Duty (Hennessy) to triumph in the One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1), Criquette Head-Maarek is hoping to land a second major win on the Rowley Mile this season with FUISSE (Green Tune), who will bid to give the French handler a second success in the Champion following on from the 1993 scorer Hatoof. Fuisse goes into Saturday's contest on the back of a storming success in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Fr-G1) on September 5, when the four-year-old ran on strongly to beat Rio de la Plata (Rahy) by a head, with the likes of multiple Group 1 scorers Paco Boy (Desert Style) and Lope de Vega (Shamardal) further in arrears. Head-Maarek revealed: "Fuisse has done well since his victory in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, and I think that the race looked quite a strong renewal, especially with Rio de la Plata winning a Group 1 in Italy over the weekend (Saturday's Premio Vittorio di Capua). "He felt good and was a bit fresh at Longchamp, which is why he got loose before the start -- he whipped round very quickly and there's no chance of staying on his back when he does that. We will try to avoid a repeat at Newmarket and we will have a lead horse to take him down to the start. "The going won't be an excuse for him but he is a better horse on good ground because he has a huge action. "He is a very good miler but the step up to 10 furlongs is a bit of an unknown," Head-Maarek admitted. "He lost last year's Prix du Jockey Club (Fr-G1) due to his lack of stamina, but he is a year older now and, if he can wait in his race, then I am hopeful that he can stay the trip." Further French interest is set to be provided by the Eric Libaud-trained VISION D'ETAT (Chichicastenango), whose four Group 1 victories include a game success in the Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot last year, and Group 2 victor SHIMRAAN (Rainbow Quest), representing Alain de Royer-Dupre. Other notable contenders include the unexposed AWAIT THE DAWN (Giant's Causeway), who posted a nine-length success for Aidan O'Brien in a Leopardstown Group 3 on his latest appearance, and the John Gosden-trained trio of ALWAARY (Dynaformer), TAZEEZ (Silver Hawk) and DEBUSSY (Ire) (Diesis [GB]), successful in the Arlington Million (G1) in August. SRI PUTRA (Oasis Dream [GB]), second to Twice Over in this season's Eclipse S. (Eng-G1), and RAINBOW PEAK (Hernando [Fr]) may line up for Michael Jarvis, while Sir Michael Stoute could be represented by Group 3 winner GLASS HARMONIUM (Verglas [Ire]). The Michael Bell-trained WIGMORE HALL (Ire) (High Chaparral [Ire]), runner-up in the Secretariat S. (G1) at Arlington, complete the potential line-up. This year's Dewhurst is shaping up to be the defining juvenile contest of the season, with the top three in the antepost market for next year's Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) among the 12 contenders on course for one of the most eagerly anticipated renewals of the seven-furlong contest. FRANKEL (Galileo [Ire]) has yet to be fully tested in three racecourse appearances, and the Cecil-trained colt made the step up to Pattern company look easy with a comprehensive 10-length success in the Royal Lodge S. (Eng-G2) at Ascot on September 25. David Simcock enjoyed a memorable first Group 1 victory when DREAM AHEAD (Diktat) triumphed in the Prix Morny at Deauville in August, and he will bid for a third success at the highest level following a stunning nine-length triumph in the Middle Park S. (Eng-G1) at Newmarket on October 1. SAAMIDD (Street Cry [Ire]) is also set to put his unbeaten record on the line after being supplemented by Godolphin. The Saeed bin Suroor-trained colt made an impressive debut on the July Course in August and was an emphatic winner of the Champagne S. (Eng-G2) at Doncaster's St Leger Festival. The Ed Dunlop-trained NATIVE KHAN (Azamour [Ire]) also followed up a winning debut on the July Course with Pattern success, in the Solario S. (Eng-G3) at Sandown in August, while a quartet of Aidan O'Brien-trained contenders includes recent Tipperary scorer SEVILLE (Galileo [Ire]) and Curragh maiden victor RODERIC O'CONNOR (Galileo [Ire]). Jim Bolger, who sent out Teofilo, New Approach and Intense Focus to successive wins in the Dewhurst between 2006 and 2008, may be represented this year by Phoenix S. (Ire-G1) runner-up GLOR NA MARA (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]). Also on Champions' Day, the £90,000 Pride S. (Eng-G2) has 15 fillies and mares going forward. Trainer David Elsworth is likely to launch a double-pronged attack when he will saddle BARSHIBA (Barathea [Ire]) and MYPLACELATER (Where or When). The evergreen Barshiba, who runs in the colors of her owner-breeder Jeff Smith, is already a dual Group 2 winner, having taken the last two renewals of the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock Park. The six-year-old has been as consistent as ever this season and has some good form in the book, most notably her third to Harbinger in the Hardwicke S. (Eng-G2) at Royal Ascot where she finished ahead of subsequent Irish St Leger (Ire-G1) winner Sans Frontieres (Galileo [Ire]). Barshiba finished sixth when last seen in action behind Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream [GB]) in a top-class renewal of the Yorkshire Oaks (Eng-G1) on August 19. Elsworth's other runner Myplacelater is also likely to be among the favorites for the 1 1/2-mile Pride. The sophomore was an impressive six-length winner of the Godolphin S. over the same course and distance last time out on October 1. She has won five times in 2010 and beaten a number of highly-regarded horses, including Champion hope Wigmore Hall. Elsworth said: "Barshiba has been very consistent and I hope she runs well again. It took me a long time to find her trip, and although she was only just beaten by Archipenko in the Summer Mile (Eng-G2) at Ascot (in 2008), it was only when we stepped her up that we saw how good she was. "She bolted up in the Lanwades Severals S. a couple of years ago, so she goes on the track. I think a mile and a half is her best trip and she seems very well, so fingers crossed. "Myplacelater could be the fly in the ointment as she is a real improver. She won very well last time and is on an upward curve. I think they should both run well." The high-class entry also includes the Sir Michael Stoute-trained CRYSTAL CAPELLA (Cape Cross [Ire]), who won the race in 2008 and finished runner-up 12 months ago but has yet to run so far this year. Stoute could also be represented by the progressive ELEANORA DUSE (Azamour [Ire]), successful in the Blandford S. (Ire-G2) at the Curragh last month. Other leading contenders are HIGH HEELED (High Chaparral [Ire]) from the John Gosden stable, who took third in this season's Coronation Cup (Eng-G1) at Epsom Downs, and Oaks runner-up MEEZNAH (Dynaformer). Saturday's card kicks off with the £90,000 Challenge S. (Eng-G2), for which 19 horses remain. A total of 13 juvenile fillies have been entered in the £100,000 Rockfel S. (Eng-G2), while last year's Ascot Gold Cup (Eng-G1) runner-up PATKAI (Indian Ridge) is among the 11 entries for the concluding £57,000 Jockey Club Cup (Eng-G3). Apart from six Group contests, Champions' Day also plays host to the second leg of the Autumn Double, the £160,000 Cesarewitch, and a total of 41 horses remain engaged in the famous 2 1/4-mile heritage handicap.
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