Dewhurst Stakes Tips: Lion Ready To Roar Again

A cracker-jack renewal of the Dewhurst Stakes is the headline Group 1 race at Newmarket on Saturday afternoon, and there are colts bred in the purple aplenty ready to put their reputations on the line...

Hugo Palmer's Seagulls Eleven is the only horse in this year's Dewhurst not residing at either Aidan O'Brien's stable or Charlie Appleby's, and he looks to have a fair job on his hands if he is to finish ahead of the first and indeed second string from both those yards. He looks a solid enough two year old but there is no reason to see him reversing form with Appleby's Ancient Truth, who pushed Palmer's charge into second in the Superlative Stakes earlier this season.

If jockey bookings are anything to go by, Ancient Truth is the second string for Godolphin and Appleby in here, with James Doyle booked and William Buick instead riding Shadow Of Light. Despite this, in most places there is only half a point between the two horses and I myself do struggle to split them. Doyle's mount brings with him the sexy unbeaten record from three starts, however Shadow Of Light has course form on this the Rowley Mile at Newmarket after he atoned for his only loss to date in the Gimcrack (second to Cool Hoof Luke) by winning the Middle Park in fine style. He is top rated in the field but is also the most experienced which must be factored in.

Both are probably above average colts with nice futures and this race should be indicative of which will rank higher in the pecking order going into next season, however I struggle to see either being able to go with THE LION IN WINTER should the highest profile of Aidan O'Brien's raiders turn up in peak form.

This strapping son of Sea The Stars has, reading between the lines, surprised his handler a touch with his stunningly good performances thus far in his career. It is notable O'Brien waxes lyrically about his star two year olds when they are the one he is pinning all his hopes to going into the following season, however he is yet to really shower this lad in such praise. Perhaps he doesn't show much at home or perhaps Aidan is simply reining it in a touch when it comes to the pressure that is piled upon these well bred colts heading into their Classic campaign.

Either way, by any metric The Lion In Winter deserves rapturous applause considering his all the way win in the Acomb last time out which has seen the form franked by Wimbledon Hawkeye who was in second. That day another regally bred Godolphin horse who they apparently thought the world of prior to the race was back in third in Ruling Court, the beaten even money favourite, so The Lion In Winter is no stranger to dispatching Godolphin's great hopes.

Aidan O'Brien has a masterful record in this race with seven wins thus far in his career and while they are not without a chance, I think his other two entrants in the race Expanded and particularly Rock Of Cashel are here to make sure the race is run at an honest clip. Expect The Lion In Winter to find the perfect place with the best in the world in the saddle aboard him and to swoop past his stablemates when the time is right. If either of the Godolphin horses, or Palmer's lone soldier, can go with him or even past him I'll be very surprised and I think evens about the lead hope of the team who won the race last year with City Of Troy is fair value.