More than just big two in Dewhurst

Leading owner Hamdan Al Maktoum is double-handed in the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket today.

Retained rider Paul Hanagan interestingly sides with the Barry Hills-trained Leicester maiden winner Massaat over the more proven Tashweeq, trained by John Gosden.

Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager Angus Gold said: "Massaat is a horse who has shown great promise so far. When he ran first time out I remember coming away from Sandown thinking he could be our best two-year-old this season."

Gold went on: "He was slowly away and ran green and then flew home to finish a close second behind the horse that was touched off in the Lagardere (Cymric) at Longchamp last week.

"He coughed a bit after that, so we missed an intended race and just had to back off him and give him time.

"He came back and won his maiden very nicely and we're very much looking forward to running him again.

"I'm not saying he's going to beat the first two in the betting and whether he's up to this level, we'll find out.

"I'm not building him up to be something he's not, but he could be a high-class horse and it wouldn't surprise me at all if he was a Guineas horse next year."

Of Tashweeq, Gold said: "He's done absolutely nothing wrong and is going the right way. He's won his maiden and a Listed race and he's a good, fun horse.

"He deserves his place in the field and we'll see if he's up to it."

Hanagan is keeping his fingers crossed he has made the right decision.

"Massaat was still very green at Leicester - he hadn't run for two months and still didn't know what to do," said the former champion jockey.

"But I liked the way that he put distance between himself and his rivals when I grabbed hold of him, and then I struggled to pull him up and he went right round the bend after the winning line, which is always a good sign.

"I would be delighted if I could help Barry Hills go out on a big win.

"But let's not get carried away - Massaat is a maiden winner in a top Group One race and I was very impressed with Emotionless in the Champagne Stakes, when he came past me as though he was still in second gear."

Dean Ivory's outsider Twin Sails has been placed in valuable sales races on his last two starts, most recently at Newmarket just a week ago.

Ivory said: "He's always wanted at least seven furlongs, but we had to go for the two sales races as there's good prize-money.

"He takes a while to pick up and we've nothing to lose. He's come out of the race fine and sometimes you have to take these chances."