Stronghold Heads 151 In totesport Cambridgeshire

A total of 151 horses have been entered for the #150,0000 totesport Cambridgeshire (Heritage Handicap), run over nine furlongs at Newmarket on Saturday, September 30, with the weights headed by John Gosden´s Royal Hunt Cup runner-up Stronghold on 10st 1lb. This year´s contest has seen a prize money increase of #20,000 on the 2005 figure, while the second leg of the Autumn Double, the totesport Cesarewitch, has also received the same boost in prize money.

Kandidate, twice a Listed winner this season for Clive Brittain, has been allotted 9st 13lb, with Godolphin´s Belenus, successful in Group Three company at Salisbury on August 17, on 9st 10lb.

The Michael Jarvis-trained Notability (9st 7lb) landed a Group Two event at Baden Baden on August 29, defeating fellow entry Azarole (9st 5lb) by a length and a half, while Snoqualmie Boy (9st 6lb), trained by David Elsworth, took the Listed Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 22.

Sir Mark Prescott´s Spectait (9st 5lb) produced a gutsy display when landing the totesport Mile at Goodwood on August 4, defeating Dunelight (9st) by half a length, with Sir Gerard (8st 13lb and 10/1 joint-favourite), trained by James Fanshawe, running a blinder in fourth from a poor draw.

Fanshawe is also responsible for Cesare (9st 2lb), who edged out Stronghold in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot on June 21, and scored again at Warwick on August 28.

Smart Enough (9st and 10/1 joint-favourite) has looked a rapidly improving sort for Mikael Magnusson, winning his last two races in impressive style, while Dansili Dancer (8st 13lb) claimed a valuable prize at Haydock on August 12, beating Fairmile (8st 13lb) by a length and a half for trainer Clive Cox, who also trains Dunelight.

The Roger Charlton-trained Another Bottle (8st 11lb) ran with promise on his last start when ninth in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket on July 14 having disappointed previously in the Royal Hunt Cup, a race in which Luca Cumani´s pair Pride Of Nation (8st 11lb) and Minority Report (8st 10lb) also failed to get competitive.

Dark Islander (8st 9lb) was a decisive winner of a mile handicap at Newmarket on July 14 for John Hills, getting the better of Dunelight and subsequent scorer Charlie Cool (8st 8lb), while Champions Gallery (8st 4lb) won well at Beverley on August 27, followed home by Pearly King (8st 7lb), Noble Gent (8st 6lb) and Formal Decree (8st 6lb).

Other interesting contenders include Illustrious Blue (8st 5lb), three times a winner this year for first-season trainer William Knight, 2004 hero Spanish Don (8st 2lb) and runner-up Take A Bow (9st), last year´s third My Paris (8st 12lb) and Minkowski (8st 8lb), owned by Michael Tabor and trained in France by John Hammond.