War Command, Outstrip clash in Dewhurst; Sudirman, Eagle set for Middle Park

War Command, Outstrip clash in Dewhurst; Sudirman, Eagle

set for Middle Park

Newmarket's Group 1 Dewhurst has crowned countless juvenile champions, and

while Saturday's renewal boasts little of its usual strength-in-depth, it plays

host to one who is almost there already in War Command.

Joseph Allen's homebred must rate as one of the most impressive winners of

the Coventry in that race's history when storming to a six-length success at

Royal Ascot June 18, and his subsequent success in the Curragh's Futurity Stakes

August 24 amounted to another display of his considerable prowess. His sole blip

came when third over six furlongs in the latter venue's Phoenix 13 days earlier,

which Aidan O'Brien put down to lack of peak-fitness.

"He ran in the Futurity and he worked after racing at the Curragh a few weeks

ago," his trainer commented. "He is in good form and we are looking forward to

the Dewhurst."

Godolphin enjoyed a first success in this race 12 months ago with Dawn

Approach, and rely solely on their supplemented homebred Outstrip. He had Cable

Bay three lengths back in third when taking the Champagne at Doncaster last time

September 14 and Racing Manager Simon Crisford is hoping for a bold show.

"We gave (last) Sunday's Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp a miss with

Outstrip, hoping for better ground in the Dewhurst," Crisford said. "That is a

decision that might backfire -- we will have to wait and see. His Champagne

Stakes victory was a top-notch effort and we are very pleased with him."

Richard Hannon saddles Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Anjaal, who

returns after a lengthy absence having won the July Stakes on the July Course in

this town July 11.

"Anjaal would not want any more rain, as we took him out of the Champagne at

Doncaster when the ground turned soft," his conditioner said. "He has been off

since he won the July Stakes on the summer course, but he only got going at the

end of that six furlongs so should be well suited by this longer distance. He

has always worked like a top horse at home, and we think he warrants a crack at

a big one."

The other Group 1 on "Future Champions Day" is the six-furlong Middle Park

Stakes, one panel shorter than the Dewhurst. Already successful in the Phoenix

Stakes, Fitri Hay and Susan Magnier's Sudirman bids for a second top-flight

victory here. Second behind Toormore in the Vincent O'Brien National when trying

seven furlongs at The Curragh last time September 15, the high-class performer

who also took the June 29 Railway has only No Nay Never above him in the ratings

over this trip.

The highly-regarded Great White Eagle represents Ballydoyle and Michael

Tabor, Derrick Smith and Susan Magnier's unbeaten performer remains unexposed

following his comfortable success in the Round Tower over this distance at the

Curragh at the start of last month.

"We are happy with him, he's in good order," O'Brien said. "He's only had the

two runs, but I have been happy with his work since the Round Tower."

Kevin Ryan delivered Amadeus Wolf to win this in 2005 after he had taken the

Gimcrack, and he bids to repeat the feat with Angie Bailey's Astaire, who came

to prominence when winning that six-furlong York contest on his latest start

August 24.

"I don't think he has any preference as far as the ground is concerned," his

trainer told PA Sport. "You wouldn't have thought he would have gone through the

soft ground at York, but he did, and I don't believe there is any such thing as

fast ground at this time of year. He never leads in his work at home but I will

leave the tactics to Neil Callan -- he knows the horse very well. Astaire is,

like all Gimcrack winners, a very good horse. He has shown us loads since day

one and has since proved himself on the racecourse."

It may be that Lightning Thunder came up against a brilliant rival in Miss

France last time in the Oh So Sharp, and she will be unlucky to meet one of that

caliber again in Saturday's Group 2 Rockfel. Beaten just a head by the Andre

Fabre trainee in that course-and-distance contest September 27, Mohammed al

Kubasi and Pearl Bloodstock's bay was five lengths clear of the remainder, and

the form received an indirect boost on Sunday. That came when Indonesienne, who

had also been runner-up to Miss France, took the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day.

One of the unexposed types who has real potential is Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad

al Thani's Al Thakhira, who beat the subsequent winner Expect in a six-furlong

maiden on debut at Yarmouth September 17 and is held in high regard.

This race also contains the second, third and fourth, respectively, in the

Firth of Clyde over six furlongs at Ayr September 21, and very little separates

Hoku, Ventura Mist and Valonia on that form.

Moved to Newmarket in 2011, the latest renewal of the Group 3 Autumn Stakes

was won by the subsequent Irish Derby hero Trading Leather, and now forms an

important part of this "Future Champions' Day."

Whether there is anything lurking in this year's field that has the same

classic-winning credentials remains to be seen, but there are some solid

performers including Ballydoyle's Oklahoma City, who returns to the scene of his

success in the £500,000 Tattersalls Millions

Two-Year-Old Trophy over seven furlongs just a week ago. Derrick Smith, Susan

Magnier and Michael Tabor's bay was second just six days earlier behind stable

companion Geoffrey Chaucer in the Beresford over this trip at The Curragh, but

has obviously given the right signals to the stable to justify this third quick

outing.

Representing the form of the course-and-distance Royal Lodge is Sir Jack

Layden, who was just a half-length off Berkshire in that September 28 contest,

while Roger Varian pitches the Newbury maiden winner Kingston Hill in deep.

Green when scoring over seven furlongs there September 21, his trainer expects

improvement.

"Kingston Hill has come on for his debut," he commented. "This is a big rise

in class for an inexperienced horse, but we like him and I don't think he'll

disgrace himself."

The Group 2 Challenge Stakes for three-year-olds and up offers a mixed bag of

improving handicappers and steady pattern-race performers, but one who has the

potential to quicken the pulse is Derrick Smith's Darwin. Despite coming into

this on the back of a disappointing defeat when third in the Solonaway 

over a mile at the Curragh September 15, the previously-exciting Ballydoyle

recruit sports cheekpieces, but would not want any more rain.

That will not inconvenience Godolphin's Lockwood, who was runner-up to

Viztoria in the Park Stakes over this seven-furlong trip at Doncaster last time

September 14. Previously, he had won the Supreme Stakes also at this distance at

Goodwood August 25, and Crisford is hoping the adverse weather continues.

"Lockwood is progressing along the right lines and has had a good campaign,"

he said. "He stepped up to a different level with his second place in the Park

Stakes last time, which was a very good run. He would prefer some rain -- the

softer the better for him."

The impressive September 21 Ayr Gold Cup hero Highland Colori steps up a

panel for this first try at black- type, and trainer Andrew Balding believes

that conditions have come right for the five-year-old.

"It's a big step up in class for him, but he likes Newmarket and won the Ayr

Gold Cup in such good style," he told PA Sport. "He always seems to come to

himself in the autumn, I think it's because he likes a bit of dig in the ground

so the rain has been very helpful. He's very versatile with regards the trip,

he's as good over six and seven furlongs."

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