Varian looks to Dubai Poet for Dee Stakes double

Dubai Poet bids to provide trainer Roger Varian with back-to-back victories in the Homeserve Dee Stakes at Chester on Thursday.

The Newmarket handler landed the Derby trial 12 months with El Drama, who like Dubai Poet carries the yellow and black colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum.

Impressive when shedding his maiden tag at Newbury in September, Dubai Poet went on to finish third behind subsequent 2000 Guineas victor Coroebus in the Autumn Stakes the following month.

He again had to make do with minor honours when runner-up to Checkandchallenge in the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle three weeks ago and steps up to a mile and a quarter for the first time on the Roodee.

Varian said: “He probably needed the comeback run at Newcastle and we were pleased with it at the time.

“He’s got some good two-year-old form and we think he’ll get the 10 furlongs. He should handle the track and we think he’s set to run a nice race.”

The Hugo Palmer-trained Mr McCann has attracted plenty of attention, largely because of his famous footballing connections.

The Kodiac colt, who won three times as a juvenile, is named after Liverpool’s press officer Matt McCann and is owned by a group of current and former Liverpool players including James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson.

Connections are keen to give him a run in a Derby trial with a view to a potential outing in the big one at Epsom on the first Saturday in June.

“He’ll need to step up and I haven’t known him that long, but he’s got a lovely attitude and I’m pleased with his work, so we’ll have our fingers crossed,” said Palmer.

“He’s got lots of options moving forwards, he won his Derby entry last year, so we will see if he can do anything to take that up, but there’s lots of other races he could run in as well.”

Aidan O’Brien, who has won the Dee Stakes on eight occasions already, this year saddles Star Of India.

The son of Galileo bolted up on his sole juvenile start at Leopardstown and finished fifth behind Guineas runner-up Native Trail in the Craven on his reappearance last month.