3 minute read

With heavy rainfall on the Rowley Mile on Friday, we may see late changes to the shape of the seven-furlong Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes.

Aidan O'Brien will be chasing a record-equalling eighth victory in the race with hot favourite City Of Troy. The Justify colt has not been seen since a comfortable victory in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes on the July course, where he beat subsequent Group 2 Vintage Stakes winner Haatem by six-and-a-half lengths. Although anyone present on course (or watching at home) could hardly fault the colt's demolition of the field, we still know very little about him after only two starts. Based on what City Of Troy has achieved so far, he looks the obvious winner for the team who took the Group 1 Fillies Mile on Friday with Ylang Ylang - if he runs on the ground.

The improving Iberian appears to be the main obstacle to Aidan O'Brien's domination of the juvenile Group 1s at the meeting. The Charlie Hills-trained colt impressed many with a comfortable victory on soft ground in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and will undoubtedly perform on the ground. His second behind Haatem in the Group 2 Vintage Stakes puts him significantly behind City Of Troy on collateral form but the Lope De Vega colt is a clear second favourite.

Array was shrewdly supplemented for the race with proven form on soft ground and he should outrun his current price of 28/1. The Juddmonte-owned colt steps up to seven furlongs for the first time and relished the heavy ground conditions when winning the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury. Out of a half-sister to Frankel, the colt is beautifully bred by No Nay Never and is a half-brother to Maximal who was Group placed over a mile as a juvenile, suggesting the step up in distance will be within his remit.

Frankie Dettori picks up the ride on Aidan O'Brien's second-string Henry Adams, who cannot be entirely ignored following his fourth in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp. He won the Group 3 Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown on soft ground at the end of July, where Ryan Moore made plenty of the colt from the front. The same front-running tactics were used in the Lagardare and it would be no surprise to see Frankie use all his expertise to try and steal the race from the lead.

WIN: CITY OF TROY

PLACE: ARRAY