71 Star-Studded Entries For Emirates Airline Champion Stakes

A star-studded entry of 71 has been received for the #350,000 Emirates Airline Champion Stakes, the highlight of Champions? Day at Newmarket on Saturday, October 15, details of which are revealed yesterday.

Champions? Day is the climax of Newmarket?s sensational autumn season this year, which sees the transferred Ascot Festival, the Cambridgeshire Meeting and Champions? Day take place on the Rowley Mile over just a three week period, featuring no less than 18 Group Races including 7 Group Ones.

Azamour, brilliant winner of Royal Ascot?s Prince of Wales?s Stakes and the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, heads the entries from the older generation and is one of 19 Irish-trained possibles for the Group One event, while Vodafone Derby hero Motivator is the pick of those engaged from the classic generation. France is well represented with half a dozen entries while there are two Italian-trained hopefuls, including yesterday?s exciting Juddmonte International victor, Electrocutionist.

The Emirates Airline Champion Stakes is one of the few races to have eluded the two powerhouses of European racing - Godolphin and Ballydoyle. This year Godolphin has 14 to choose from including Dubawi, brilliant winner of last Sunday?s Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville, the enigmatic Doyen, spectacular when taking the 2004 King George at Ascot but disappointing since, recent Salisbury Group Three scorer Layman and also Cherry Mix, runner-up in last season?s Prix de l?Arc de Triomphe. Ireland?s champion trainer Aidan O?Brien has made entries for 13, including last Saturday?s Grade One Arlington Million scorer Powerscourt, the UltimatePoker.com 1000 Guineas heroine Virginia Waters, Ace, a bit disappointing when fourth in yesterday?s Juddmonte International at York, Oratorio, who claimed the scalp of Motivator in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown, as well as Vodafone Coronation Cup scorer Yeats.

Other leading entries from Ireland include Grey Swallow, successful on his seasonal reappearance in the Tatttersalls Gold Cup as well as last year?s Irish Derby, and Jim Bolger?s amazingly tough filly Alexander Goldrun, a Group One winner in Britain, France, Ireland and Hong Kong.

Heading the sextet of French entries is Valixir, successful in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot at York earlier this season. Andre Fabre?s charge could be joined by last season?s Prix de l?Arc de Triomphe victor Bago, while Carlos Laffon-Parias has a trio engaged including the 2004 French Derby runner-up Prospect Park.

Electrocutionist and Altieri are the two entries from Italy. The former is reckoned to be the best horse to have come out of Italy since Falbrav and that certainly looked to be the case when the four-year-old was triumphant in the Group One Juddmonte International at York yesterday. Altieri acquitted himself well on his only start in Britain when third to Oratorio and Motivator in the Coral Eclipse.

The pick of the remainder includes Maids Causeway, triumphant in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, both of the last two Vodafone Oaks heroines, Eswarah and Ouija Board, Soviet Song, winner of the last two renewals of the Group One UAE Equestrian & Racing Federation Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, and the multiple Group One-placed Norse Dancer.