Today´s Darley Dewhurst Stakes

Today´s Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes promises to be The two-year-old race of the season with some of the very best youngsters putting their credentials on the line. The winner will be very high in the ante-post lists for next year´s classics.

Two already in that exalted position are Etlaala and Shamardal, who are both unbeaten in two starts and have earned many admirers in the process.

Etlaala followed his debut success in a maiden race at Newbury by moving smartly up in grade to take the Group Two SGB Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, overcoming difficulties in running to beat Iceman by half a length.

Iceman, who has since run a good third in the Shadwell Stud Middle Park Stakes at the last meeting here, is now 5lb better off with his Town Moor conqueror so it should be even closer between them

Shamardal, who will now be running for the Gainsborough Stud instead of his previous owner, was very impressive when beating Wilko by two and a half lengths in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood. This followed an eight-length success first time out at Ayr.

Iceman was running for the first time since June when he turned in what his trainer John Gosden regards as an ideal Dewhurst trial in the Middle Park, and from the way he was finishing he will certainly appreciate the return to seven furlongs.

There is one runner from Ireland (Democratic Delight is a non-runner) Oratorio, who is with Aidan O´Brien, trainer of the Middle Park winner Ad Valorem. Oratio and Montgomery´s Arch ran last time in the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp on Arc day, when Oratorio took advantage of a gap which appeared by the far rails to get up close home and pip Early March and Layman. Montgomery´s Arch was two and and half lengths back in fourth.

Another who won in France last time is Tremar, who has been supplemented for the Dewhurst at a cost of £15,000. He has more to do now in Group One company but is clearly on the upgrade.

There are two runners for Godolphin with Frankie Dettori preferring theGroup Two nHackney Empire Royal Lodge Stakes winner Perfect Performance to Librettist, even though the latter is another who has won both his races, most recently at Doncaster.

Home Affairs followed his promising debut by winning in similar company at Yarmouth over this trip by three lengths from Notability, who has boosted the form by winning since, and Henrik, who completes the top class line-up, was runner-up to Dubawi (subsequently winner of the National Stakes in Ireland) in the Weatherbys Superlative Stakes on the July course at Newmarket..