Aidan O'Brien's star juvenile Caravaggio heads 85 entries for the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on October 8th.
Caravaggio has looked a cut above his contemporaries, winning Royal Ascot's Coventry Stakes and the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh in brilliant fashion.
With Churchill and War Decree also in the mix, O'Brien has a formidable hand. Churchill has landed the Chesham Stakes at the Royal meeting and Leopardstown's Tyros Stakes while War Decree won last month's Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.
Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby’s nine entries are led by War Decree’s old rival, Boynton, plus Richmond Stakes runner-up, Blue Point and promising maiden winners Timeless Flight and D’Bai.
Unlucky third
Boynton defeated War Decree in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting before finishing an unlucky third to him in the Vintage.
Appleby said: “Blue Point has done well since Goodwood and we will learn a good deal more about him once we drop him in behind horses. Given a lead and a bigger field he will be a different horse.
“The Vintage Stakes was not suited to Boynton’s run style – when he won the Superlative he went for home a long way out and was galloping on strongly at the line.
“The stiff seven furlongs of the Dewhurst should suit him nicely and in the longer term he will be suited by a step up to a mile.
“Timeless Flight has got to step up now and has got a bit to prove – it was always the plan to give him a break to freshen him up after his first two starts.
“He’s had that now and we’ll be looking to give him another run before stepping him up to something like the Dubai Dewhurst.”
Appleby also has four candidates among 49 entries for the Dubai Fillies’ Mile on October 7th – Grecian Light, Kazimiera, Wuheida and the unraced Sobetsu.
Grecian Light has the best public form of the quartet as she was second in the Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket while Kazimiera and Wuheida have won their solitary starts in maiden company.
“I was delighted with Wuheida’s first start and she can only improve for a step up in trip and a bit of ease in the ground – it was quite fast when she won her maiden. She’s got a bright future,” said the trainer.
"Kazimiera won very nicely at Ascot and has a beautiful pedigree as a granddaughter of the Guineas winner, Kazzia. Grecian Light ran a lovely race in the Sweet Solera considering that she was caught out on a wing away from her main rivals before finishing strongly."
Strong challenge
The possible opposition is headed by Princess Margaret Stakes scorer, Fair Eva, a daughter of Frankel, and two O’Brien-trained Group Three winners, Promise To Be True and Brave Anna.
O’Brien has a potentially strong challenge for the Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on Wednesday, headed by Idaho, who was placed at Epsom as well as in the Irish Derby.
Cook Islands, Housesofparliament, Kellstorm, The Major General and Unicorn could all still represent Ballydoyle.
