Star-Studded 22-Strong Entry For StanJamesUK.com Jockey Club Stakes

Last year´s Classic heroes Sir Percy and Sixties Icon head a tremendous 22-strong entry for the #90,000 Group Two StanJamesUK.com Jockey Club Stakes, run over 12 furlongs at Newmarket on Sunday, May 6, day two of the Stan James Guineas Festival. With the Stan James 1000 Guineas (Group One) headlining the Sunday card, it promises to be an exceptional afternoon´s racing.

Sir Percy, trained by Marcus Tregoning, captured the Vodafone Derby in thrilling style in June when denying the Geoff Wragg-trained Dragon Dancer by a short-head. The runner-up, who could bid for revenge at Newmarket, remains a maiden after nine career outings.

Sixties Icon, seventh in the Vodafone Derby, went on to take the Ladbrokes St Leger at York in decisive fashion for Jeremy Noseda, defeating The Last Drop by two and a half lengths, with Red Rocks - later successful in the Grade One Breeders´ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs in America - a further length away in third.

No current trainer has a better record in the StanJamesUK.com Jockey Club Stakes than Sir Michael Stoute, who has sent out six winners in total, the most recent being Gamut in 2004. The master of Freemason Lodge has entered Group Two King Edward VII Stakes victor Papal Bull and Mountain High, last seen finishing a close second to Soapy Danger in the Group Two Princess of Wales´s wbx.com Stakes at Newmarket´s Ritz Club July Festival.

French handler Andre Fabre took this prize last year with Shirocco, and has entered Linda´s Lad, a Group One scorer as a juvenile who ran ninth to Sir Percy in the 2006 Vodafone Derby.

Millenary in 2001 provided John Dunlop with his second success in the StanJamesUK.com Jockey Club Stakes after Almaarad´s 1988 triumph, and he relies on Munsef, second to Shirocco in this race last year. David Elsworth, on the mark with Sapience 14 years ago, has the progressive Balkan Knight entered.

Barry Hills´ only success in the StanJamesUK.com Jockey Club Stakes came back in 1973 with Our Mirage. He has three entries too choose from this year, with The Last Drop joined by Under The Rainbow, third on her seasonal reappearance at Nottingham earlier this month, and Mashaahed, an easy sixth-length scorer in the Listed Doonside Cup at Ayr last term.

The one Irish entry is the Aidan O´Brien-trained Septimus, successful in the Group Two Dante Stakes at York last year before coming home in 12th behind Sir Percy in the Vodafone Derby.

Rising Cross, trained by John Best, ran the race of her life to finish second to Alexandrova in the Vodafone Oaks at Epsom last June and subsequently landed the Group Two Park Hill Stakes at York, while John Gosden´s Day Flight is a four-time scorer at Group Three level.

Other interesting contenders include the improving Mighty, trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam, who ran a fine second to Maraahel in the Group Three Dubai Tennis Championship Stakes at Newbury on April 21, and the talented Orcadian, a Group Three scorer on the Flat who has also shown plenty of ability over hurdles.

Brian Meehan has entered last year´s Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes victor Admiral´s Cruise and progressive handicapper Star Of Light as well as Red Rocks, Mark Johnston is double-handed with Crosspeace and Luberon, while Dragon Dancer could have a pacemaker to help him in the shape of stablemate Hotel Du Cap.

STANJAMESUK.COM JOCKEY CLUB STAKES