72 Entries For Emirates Airline Champion Stakes 72 entries has been received for the £350,000 Group One Emirates Airline Champion Stakes, run over 10 furlongs on the NatWest Rowley Mile at Newmarket on Champions' Day, Saturday, October 20. Cockney Rebel returned trainer Geoff Huffer to the big time with victories in the Stan James 2000 Guineas on the NatWest Rowley Mile in May and also the Irish 2000 Guineas. He was found to be suffering with a hairline fracture of the pelvis after running fifth in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot behind Excellent Art.The winner, trained by Aidan O'Brien, who is responsible for 21 of the 25 Irish entries, narrowly failed to add Sussex Stakes glory to his CV when failing by a head to reel in Godolphin's ultra-tough Ramonti, who was following up his dramatic success in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. The Emirates Airline Champion Stakes is one of the few Group One races to have eluded Aidan O'Brien.Other Ballydoyle contenders include runaway Irish Derby victor Soldier Of Fortune, the mercurial George Washington, last year's 2000 Guineas and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes scorer, brilliant filly Peeping Fawn, who recorded a Group One hat-trick this term in the Pretty Polly Stakes, Irish Oaks and Nassau Stakes, and top-class middle distance performer Dylan Thomas, who posted a resounding four-length victory in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on July 28.Godolphin has made nine entries, with King George fourth Laverock, Group Two winners Echo Of Light and Stage Gift and Formal Decree, runner up in the Group One Grosser Dallmayr Preis in Germany on his latest start, possible runners for the Maktoum family's operation. Godolphin is also yet to win the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes.Notnowcato, who received a tremendous ride from Ryan Moore to take the Coral Eclipse at Sandown on July 7, is one of four entries for Sir Michael Stoute, successful previously with Pilsudski (1997) and Kalanisi (2000). Henry Cecil has entered Group One winner Passage Of Time, last seen finishing eighth behind stable companion Light Shift in the Oaks at Epsom on June 1, and Multidimensional, who captured a Group Two prize at Deauville in August, 2006, but has not run since. Cecil is looking for his third Emirates Airline Champion Stakes success after Indian Skimmer (1988) and Bosra Sham (1996). France supplies six fascinating candidates, among them Lawman, trained by John-Marie Beguigne, who followed a ready success in the Prix du Jockey Club in June with a facile three-length triumph in the Prix Jean Prat on July 8. Chantilly-based handler Alain de Royer-Dupre, who sent out Pride to land the spoils in 2006, is responsible for high-class fillies Darjina, who edged out Stan James and Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Finsceal Beo in the French equivalent on May 13 and captured the Prix d'Astarte on July 29, and four-year-old Mandesha, a three-time Group One scorer last season, who was last seen chasing home Peeping Fawn in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on August 4, when Speciosa finished sixth.The Peter Schiergen-trained Soldier Hollow, a winner of four Group One races, and Pinot Noir are the German entries, while South African trainer Mike de Kock has entered the former Aidan O'Brien-trained six-year-old Mullins Bay.
