Dewhurst Stakes: City Of Troy favourite to extend unbeaten run

City Of Troy is 1/2 favourite with Coral to extend his unbeaten record to three with victory in Saturday’s Native Trail’s Dewhurst Stakes.

Twelve runners remain in contention for the Group One at Newmarket after Array was supplemented to join City Of Troy and 10 others.

Owned by Juddmonte and trained by Andrew Balding, Array was last seen winning the Mill Reef Stakes and will be having his first run over seven furlongs.

City Of Troy sets a tall standard to aim at, however. Aidan O’Brien’s colt has not been seen since creating a huge impression when winning the Superlative Stakes.

He was a late withdrawal from the National Stakes last month when Henry Longfellow stepped in to be Ballydoyle’s number one.

Henry Longfellow remains in contention along with stablemates Henry Adams, Johannes Brahms, River Tiber and Unquestionable but there is no doubting City Of Troy is O’Brien’s big hope.

Coral’s David Stevens said: “Although City Of Troy hasn’t been seen on the track since his Superlative Stakes victory in July, such was the impression he made that day, he’s been favourite for both the 2,000 Guineas and Derby since then, and is a red-hot market leader for Saturday’s Dewhurst.”

Iberian looked a smart colt when beating subsequent Group One winner Rosallion in the Champagne Stakes and is 7/2 second favourite for the Charlie Hills team, while Eve Johnson Houghton’s Indian Run, part-owned by England cricket star Jonny Bairstow, arrives off a win in the Acomb Stakes.

Eben Shaddad and Haatem are also involved while Alyanaabi is third in the Dewhurst Stakes betting at 8/1 to complete the list.

A winner on his Salisbury debut in June, the son of Too Darn Hot then finished fourth behind subsequent Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Rosallion in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot.

Alyanaabi (pictured below) got back on the winning trail in the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes over the Dewhurst course and distance late last month and trainer Owen Burrows is hopeful his colt will put up a bold showing.

“To have the third favourite in the Dewhurst is massively exciting and this is what it is all about,” said the Lambourn handler.

“He would have been a slightly unlucky loser last time out in the Group Three, but he just managed to put his head down in time.

“He is a horse we really like, and it will be interesting to see how he fares on Saturday. As you well know, it is always a bonus when they have acted on the track.

“We left France a couple of weekends ago disappointed after Hukum’s defeat in the Arc and it would be an amazing end to the season if we could come away with a Dewhurst winner.”

While Alyanaabi was not disgraced in being beaten just under five lengths by Rosallion at the end of July, Burrows is adamant his star juvenile is better than he showed on that occasion.

He added: “In the Listed race at Ascot we felt he ran tidy enough, but that wasn’t his proper running. He got a little bit shut up in behind and didn’t get out, but when he did get out he didn’t show the speed he does at home.

“Jim (Crowley) felt the slightly softer ground didn’t play to his strengths, so it was good once we got him on faster ground last time to see him show the speed we had seen at home.

“That Ascot race has turned out to be pretty smart as the winner Rosallion has won the Group One in France, the runner-up Al Musmak has won a Listed race and was second in the Royal Lodge, and Dancing Gemini, who finished fifth, has also won a Listed race at Doncaster.

“Even though he got beat at Ascot it was still a good race and the form is stacking up well.”

Native Trail’s Dewhurst Stakes betting odds

1/2 City Of Troy

7/2 Iberian

8/1 Alyanaabi

10/1 Henry Longfellow

12/1 Indian Run

14/1 Array

25/1 Eben Shaddad, River Tiber, Unquestionable

33/1 Henry Adams, Johannes Brahms

50/1 Haatem

View the latest horse racing odds

All odds and markets correct as of date of publication