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Newmarket's Rowley Mile course plays host to the inaugural Dubai Future Champions Day this Saturday where a outstanding seven-race card is in prospect following today's final declaration stage.
The richest race of the day is the £317,000 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes (3.10pm), the seven-furlong juvenile championship for colts.
A field of nine is set to go to post, headed by the Aidan O'Brien-trained Power, winner of the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Group One National Stakes at the Curragh.
Fellow Irish handler Jim Bolger, who won the Dewhurst Stakes for three years in succession (2006, 2007 and 2008), is set to be represented by Parish Hall, last seen out when runner-up in a Group Two contest at the Curragh in August.
Newmarket handler Roger Varian runs the unbeaten Ektihaam, impressive when winning a conditions race at Doncaster last month. Richard Hannon is doubly represented with Group Two Champagne Stakes scorer Trumpet Major and the unbeaten Bronterre, who was caught the eye when taking a Listed contest at Goodwood on September 10.
Factory Time, Most Improved, Red Duke and Spiritual Star, who was supplemented for the race on Monday, complete the line-up.
Dubai Future Champions Day also offers one of the racing calendar's most competitive handicaps, the £160,000 Betfred Cesarewitch (3.50pm) over two and a quarter miles, for which a maximum field of 34 has been declared.
Five horses currently share favouritism with the sponsor on 11/1 - Keys, Tuscan Gold Veiled, Sentry Duty and Beyond.
One trainer who believes he has a live outsider is Newmarket-based Don Cantillon, who is responsible for 40/1 shot La Estrella.
The eight-year-old gelding is a specialist on the all-weather, having recorded 13 wins from 21 starts on synthetic surfaces. However, he also boasts some excellent form on turf, with his best effort this season coming when a staying-on fifth to Veiled in the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
Cantillon said today: “La Estrella's fifth in the Ascot Stakes was a very good run. He was only just over three and a half lengths behind Veiled and she is the favourite for Newmarket. He should get two and a quarter miles fine, he's got a good draw and he has his regular jockey Dane O'Neill up again, which is also a positive.
“His run at Goodwood (sixth, September 21) last time is best forgotten because the ground was too soft. The plan had been to bounce him out and sit handy but the going went against us and I didn't want to risk him being up with the pace and getting tired, so we held him up instead.
“Everything is crossed regarding the ground, because we wouldn't want it too fast. I rode the whole course this morning on my bike with a stick and a dog - they have done their best with the watering and there is a nice grass covering.
“He ran well on his first start for me in the November Handicap four years ago and he has been a real tear-jerker since. He's been such a horse for me, winning five in a row and then six in a row on the all-weather, and he's been an amazing fellow to train.”
More Group One action on Dubai Future Champions Day is provided by the £163,500 Emaar Middle Park Stakes (2.35pm), for which a field of 16 lines up.
Caspar Netscher represents Alan McCabe and comes into the race on the back of Group Two victories at York and Newbury, while the unbeaten Bapak Chinta, from the stable of Kevin Ryan, makes his first appearance since landing the Group Two Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
There is a raider from France, Family One, a Group Two winner who only found the unbeaten Dabirsim too good in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville in August. Two of the three Irish raiders are trained by Aidan O'Brien, Doncaster sales race winner Reply and Crusade.
Dubai Future Champions Day also features the £80,000 Group Two Burj Khalifa Challenge Stakes (2.05pm, 8 declarations), the £60,000 Group Two Vision.ae Rockfel Stakes (4.25pm, 9 declarations), the £34,000 Group Three Autumn Stakes (5pm, 10 declarations) and the £50,000 Darley Stakes (5.35pm, 10 declarations).
Betfred Cesarewitch - Betfred bet: 11/1 Keys, Beyond, Sentry Duty, Veiled, Tuscan Gold; 14/1 Mount Athos, Rainforest Magic, Cosimo De Medici; 16/1 Buy Back Bob, Colour Vision; 20/1 Ermyn Lodge, Kazbow, Abergavenny; 25/1 Ashbrittle, Mystery Star, Big Occasion, Tasheba, Dazinski, Bow To No One, Bernie The Bolt, Palomar; 33/1 Gifted Leader, Braveheart Move, Bowdler's Magic, Becausewecan, Never Can Tell, Regal Park, Red Anthem; 40/1 La Estrella, My Arch, Trovare; 50/1 Phoenix Flight, Dayia, Valid Reason; 66/1 Right Stuff; 100/1 L Frank Baum
