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Charming Thought headlines 55 entries for the Group Two Park Stakes at Doncaster on the final day of the Ladbrokes St Leger Festival, Saturday, September 12.
The Charlie Appleby-trained three-year-old proved himself one of the best of his generation when outpointing Ivawood (Richard Hannon) in the Group One Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket in October, but is yet to run this year after sustaining an injury.
Appleby said: "Charming Thought is back in full training and the Park Stakes is his objective, so we will train him accordingly to get him there in peak fitness. Hopefully, the race will be a stepping-stone to Champions Day, where we could aim for the QEII Stakes or drop back for the Champions Sprint.
"We have yet to learn what his optimum trip is. If you are looking at him, he stands up more like a sprinter and he was showing me that in the work he did at the start of the season. Potentially, he could be heading down the sprint route but we are starting him off over seven furlongs to find out a bit more about him.
"He has physically done very well. There's never a good time to have a setback but, the way the summer has been with the ground being so quick, Charming Thought wouldn't have run anyway.
"It's unfortunate that he missed the first half of the season but, making the best of a bad situation, he has done fantastically well and lost his Group One penalty now."
Appleby has also engaged Safety Check, who captured a pair of Group Two prizes impressively in Dubai at the start of the year, and recent Haydock scorer Hawkesbury.
The trainer added: "Safety Check runs in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood next week and we will consider the Park Stakes afterwards. He is in good order, is proven at Goodwood and hopefully conditions will suit, as he likes the ground on the fast side of good.
"I think seven furlongs is his best trip. He won the Zabeel Mile at Meydan earlier this year but it's an easy mile there and the last half-furlong was a long 100 yards for him.
"He is a typical Dubawi in that he has strengthened with age. He's a bull of a horse now and looks more like a sprinter in his physique.
"We know that Hawkesbury has an engine and it's just a question of trying to channel it in the right direction. He is getting better with racing at the moment - he has settled down now and is physically a better horse
"He rallied when he won at Haydock and we are hoping that he can continue to improve. I have no reservations that he is a Group horse - he has got the ability but was have got to channel it and makes sure that he puts 100 per cent in."
Other high-profile entries include Jersey Stakes hero Dutch Connection (Charlie Hills), who was just touched off in the Group One Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on July 12, and Group One Commonwealth Cup runner-up Limato (Henry Candy).
Richard Hannon has nine entries in total, the most of any trainer, including last year's At The Races Champagne Stakes victor Estidhkaar and Tupi, who was a comfortable winner of the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket on July 9. The champion trainer has also entered high-class older horses Toormore and Shifting Power.
Barry Hills has entered the Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned pair of Markaz and Fadhayyil, while David Simcock is represented by seven-furlong specialist Breton Rock.
The 10 Irish-trained entries include last year's front-running winner Ansgar (Sabrina Harty) and Queen Anne Stakes third Cougar Mountain, who is one of three contenders for Ireland's champion trainer Aidan O'Brien.
Dermot Weld has put in Group Two scorer Mustajeeb and Tested, while Ger Lyons' three entries include recent Group Three winners Convergence and Ainipee.
At The Races Champagne Stakes
Aidan O'Brien has the highest representation in the £75,000 Group Two At The Races Champagne Stakes, accounting for 17 of 89 entries. The seven-furlong contest gets proceedings underway on the final day of the Ladbrokes St Leger Festival, Saturday, September 12.
O'Brien's team features Royal Ascot winners Waterloo Bridge and Washington DC, who landed the Group Two Norfolk Stakes and Listed Windsor Castle Stakes respectively, plus Group Two Railway Stakes victor Painted Cliffs.
Ireland's champion trainer has also engaged Group Two Coventry Stakes runner-up Air Force Blue as well as impressive maiden scorers Deauville and Shogun.
There are four other Irish-trained entries, with Jim Bolger's Herald The Dawn, a full-brother to the mighty Dawn Approach, catching the eye.
The home team features Birchwood (Richard Fahey) and Shalaa (John Gosden), who both captured Group Two prizes at Newmarket's July Festival. Birchwood defeated Air Vice Marshall (Aidan O'Brien) in the seven-furlong Superlative Stakes, while Shalaa got the better of Steady Pace (Saeed bin Suroor) in the July Stakes over six furlongs.
In-form trainer Hugo Palmer has entered Galileo Gold, who was purchased by Al Shaqab Racing after annexing a seven-furlong novice stakes at Haydock on July 2.
The son of Paco Boy impressed in winning a six-furlong maiden at Salisbury on June 9, having come home second on his debut at York in May.
Palmer reported: "Galileo Gold is thriving and has been purchased by Al Shaqab Racing, which is very exciting for the yard.
"He is a big, leggy horse, who is just the type to get better with time, and has done very well to achieve what he has so far. He is very exciting and his next start will be in a Group race.
"He is entered in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood on Wednesday and that remains a possibility. Other races that might be on his radar are the Solario Stakes at Sandown, which comes three weeks before the Champagne Stakes.
"I don't think he needs an ease in the ground. It was pretty fast when he ran the first twice and it had rained on fast ground at Haydock, so it wasn't genuinely soft. I think he's versatile. He is a well-balanced horse and moves too well to want really soft ground."
