Pivotal afternoon for Irish juveniles This afternoon should go a long way towards determining the relative merit of Irish juvenile form as 13 youngsters travel across the Irish Sea to Newmarket for a card brimming with clues to next year’s classics. Dawn Approach takes centre-stage in the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes, and Jim Bolger’s unbeaten star is joined in the six-runner Group 1 line-up by stablemate Leitir Mor as well as the Ballydoyle pair George Vancouver and The Ferryman. There is further Group 1 action on the afternoon in the Vision.ae Middle Park Stakes, where Aidan O’Brien bids to follow up last year’s success with 25/1 outsider Crusade in this six furlong test. He is three-handed this time with Cristoforo Colombo, Gale Force Ten and Parliament Square, while Bolger saddles Wexford Opera. Perhaps the most intriguing event of the afternoon is the Group 3 Autumn Stakes, where impressive maiden winners Galileo Rock, Trading Leather and Eye Of The Storm all go head-to-head in a mile event that could have a major bearing on next year’s Derby market. Trading Leather's trainer Jim Bolger commented on Racing UK, "His last run was very good and he came out of the race well. I'd be hoping he will give a good account and maybe fit himself up for the Racing Post Trophy. "I'm viewing him at the moment as a Derby horse, so hopefully things will work out and my assessment of him is correct. "He's more furnishing to do, it's only in the last couple of weeks he has stepped up to where he is now, so I'd imagine there's a good bit of improvement to come." David Wachman's Galileo Rock created quite an impression when he won his only start at Leopardstown by seven lengths and as he is closely related to John Oxx's Goodwood Cup winner Saddler's Rock, he is already being viewed as a middle-distance type for next season. The trainer said: "He's fine and hopefully they don't get too much rain as a bit of reasonable ground is important to a horse like him. He's going to be quite raw and green going there off the back of just one run, but we'll see what happens." The fillies are also catered for in the Vision.ae Rockfel Stakes, and Gift From Heaven and Scintillula represent David Wachman and Bolger respectively.
