Big Guns Declare For Champions´ Day Group 1 Contests

All the star names have been declared for the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes (Group 1) and the Darley Dewhurst Stakes (Group 1), the highlights of Newmarket´s biggest day of the year, Champions´ Day on Saturday, when over £1 million in prize money is on offer for the highest class race programme in the British flat racing calendar.

Fifteen are set to go to post in the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes, with four Group 1 winners, Alkaased, Oratorio, Rakti and Alexander Goldrun, lining up against a host of horses looking to build on highly promising seasons and make an impact at the highest level, including four raiders from France, Prospect Park, Touch of Land, Pride and Pinson, three from Sir Michael Stoute´s stable, Maraahel, Chic and Rob Roy, and two Godolphin runners in Layman and Echo of Light. David Junior and Whazzat complete the field.

Boutros Boutros, Emirates´ Vice President for Media Relations and Promotions, who will be attending the event to present the trophies, said: 'The Emirates Airline Champion Stakes regularly attracts high-class fields, making the race the highlight of a superb season at Newmarket, which Emirates is proud to be a part of.'

The Darley Dewhurst Stakes has attracted the strongest line-up of two-year-old colts to take each other on so far this season, with Aidan O´Brien set to choose between George Washington and Horatio Nelson, currently first and second favourites for next year´s Stan James 2000 Guineas. His selected of the pair will face a thorough examination, with the unbeaten Sir Percy and Primary in opposition, and with top class juvenile form also represented through Opera Cape, Close To You, Red Clubs, Palace Episode and Humungous.

In the day´s big handicap, the totesport Cesarewitch, a maximum field of 36 is set to go to post headed in the weights by True Lover and Sergeant Cecil, with Kaluana Court and Madiba the reserves who can come into the field if there is a withdrawal by Friday morning

Ground Now Officially Soft

After half an inch (just over 12 mm) of rain overnight and this morning, Newmarket´s Clerk of the Course, Michael Prosser, has changed the going on the Rowley Mile to SOFT all round. The rain has now stopped and no more is forecast for the three days ahead.

Prosser said: 'It´s going to be dry for the whole of the meeting with temperatures set to reach 15 or 16 degrees over the next two days and with the sun breaking through, especially on Saturday. We´ll be on fresh ground on Saturday not used since the Ascot Festival here last month and, with the drying weather, I would predict ground on the slow side of Good come Saturday afternoon.'