BIG THREE SET TO LINE UP IN QE2 - Going remains Good at Newmarket
Dubawi, Rakti and Starcraft have all been declared to run in Saturday's £200,000 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1), sponsored by Barclays PLC, the all-aged mile championship of Europe. In all six are set to go to post, the others being the stanjamesuk.com Hungerford Stakes (Group 3) winner, Sleeping Indian, the William Hill Poker Grand Prix Strensall Stakes winner (Group 3), Mullins Bay, and Dubawi's pacemaker, Blatant, who fulfilled the same role in this race 12 months ago.
Between them, the big three have netted thirteen Group 1 Races and all have won at the highest level this season. Dubawi was the impressive winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas (Group 1) at The Curragh and the Prix Jacques Le Marois (Group 1) at Deauville in France, Rakti, who won this race a year ago, demolished his rivals with a power-packed front-running performance in the Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes (Group 1) at Newbury in May, while Starcraft made all for an easy win in the Prix du Moulin (Group 1) at Longchamp. With little to separate them in the ante-post betting market, a thrilling showdown is in prospect as they vie for the crown of Europe's champion miler.
Dubawi's connections are hoping for some rain and their prayers should be answered tomorrow afternoon. "It's forecast to be dry today and tomorrow morning, but rain is due to arrive tomorrow afternoon with the current prediction that we might get five millimetres," said Michael Prosser, Clerk of the Course at lunchtime. "I've walked the course this morning and, while it has obviously dried out a bit over the last 48 hours since we raced on Tuesday, the going remains Good."
SIX GO TO POST IN MEON VALLEY STUD FILLIES' MILE
As in the QE2, a top class field of six will go to post in Saturday's other highlight, the £175,000 Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile.
Nasheej, who was a good winner of the Murphy's Fastflow May Hill Stakes (Group 2) at Doncaster last time (High Heel Sneakers a length back in second) and Nannina, who won the Sixty Years On Prestige Stakes (Group 3) at Goodwood, have top class form in the book, but Aidan O'Brien's Alexandrova, who won a Tipperary maiden by ten lengths last time out and is clearly improving quickly, and Ed Dunlop's Cross Channel, an easy winner of a July Course maiden at the end of July, could be anything. Salut d'Amour, meanwhile, seems highly likely to benefit from the significant step up in trip following her second place in the Chippenham Lodge Stud Cherry Hinton Stakes (Group 2) over six furlongs on the July Course two and a half months ago.
HANCOCK ANTICIPATING A SPECIAL WEEKEND AT NEWMARKET
Newmarket's Managing Director, Lisa Hancock, is looking forward to a very special weekend at the Home of Racing as Newmarket hosts the Ascot Festival for the first time:
"This will probably be the one and only time that the Ascot Festival comes here, so it is a very special occasion for us and I hope that a large number of our regular racegoers and many from further afield will come here for what promises to be a feast of top class racing over the two days.
"The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes looks exceptional - it could be the race of the year - and the Fillies' Mile, which invariably has a big impact on the betting for next year's 1000 Guineas, promises to be a fascinating contest. That's without the prospect of Ouija Board's run in the John Doyle Princess Royal Stakes and three strong supporting contests.
"Sunday's card is also top class and, apart from the possibility of some showers on Sunday, we look to be in for a very good weekend weatherwise. So our message is loud and clear - come racing at Newmarket this weekend and enjoy the Sport of Kings at its very best!
"If you can't make it this weekend, then don't despair! Saturday sees the start of a record-breaking run of top class racing at Newmarket, which sees over £3.3m in prize money up for grabs and includes no less than 27 Pattern and Listed Races over just a 22-day period. We have the Cambridgeshire Meeting on Thursday, Friday and Saturday next week, with a Group 1 race on each day, and then it's just 12 days until the October Meeting, which culminates on Saturday, October 15 with Champions' Day, the highest class raceday in the British calendar. It just gets better and better!"
ADMISSION DETAILS
Members' Grandstand Family
Enclosure & Paddock Enclosure
Ascot Festival Saturday
Saturday 24th September* £35 £20 £7
Ascot Festival Sunday
Sunday 25th September £22 £14 £6
Cambridgeshire Meeting 1st Day
Thursday 29th September* £22 £14 Closed
Cambridgeshire Meeting 2nd Day
Friday 30th September* £22 £14 Closed
Totesport Cambridgeshire Day
Saturday 1st October* £28 £16 £6
October Meeting 1st Day
Thursday 13th October £20 £13 Closed
October Meeting 2nd Day
Friday 14th October £22 £14 Closed
Champions' Day
Saturday 15th October* £35 £20 £7
* = Group One raceday
NOTE: all accompanied children aged under 16 are admitted FREE to all Enclosures on all racedays. Advance booking discounts available when tickets are booked 14 days or more advance by phone, or 2 days or more in advance on-line. Call 01638 675 500 or visit www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk for more information.
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