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Page last updated at 12:35 GMT, Thursday, 14 October 2010 13:35 UK

Newmarket gears up for Champions' Day

Newmarket Champions' Day, Saturday 16 October
1425 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes 1500 Emirates Airlines Champion Stakes
1540 Totesport.com Cesarewitch Handicap Coverage: BBC Radio 5 live, Channel 4 TV

Jockey Tom Queally, owner Khalid Abdullah, racing manager Lord Grimthorpe and trainer Henry Cecil
The Cecil team have strong fancies in both Group Ones on Saturday

Two Grade One races and the Cesarewitch Handicap greet visitors heading to Newmarket's Champions' Day on Saturday.

Twice Over, Vision d'Etat and Poet's Voice head the field for the Champion Stakes over one mile and two furlongs.

The hot property from Henry Cecil's yard, Frankel, is an odds-on chance for the Dewhurst Stakes for two-year-olds.

The Cesarewitch, over two miles and two furlongs, is likely to feature the maximum 34 permitted runners, Gary Moore's Bergo heading the weights.

In the Champion Stakes, last year's winner Twice Over was among 11 declarations for the race, with dual Oaks winner Snow Fairy withdrawn.

The Cecil-trained five-year-old Twice Over, owned by Khalid Abdullah, will attempt to become the first dual winner of the 10-furlong showpiece since Alborada in 1998 and 1999.

The Godolphin stables have added Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Poet's Voice to the field at a cost of £30,000.

606: DEBATE
benny from the bronx

And the John Gosden stable is set to runArlington Million hero Debussy.

But the home contingent will have to be on their guard to see off the threat of Vision D'Etat, trained in France by Eric Libaud and back to form with victory at Deauville in August following a disappointing effort in the Dubai World Cup in March.

The preceding Dewhurst Stakes will witness Frankel's bid to enhance his reputation as a colt on the path towards Classic honours in 2011.

Sired by Galileo, he is unbeaten in three outings, including a seemingly effortless win in Ascot's Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes in September.

Cecil said: "Frankel seems in great order. It would be nice to go away at the end of the season as a Group 1 winner - he's probably as good as any two-year-old I've had in a long time."

Frankel takes on five rivals, including the well-touted Dream Ahead and Saamidd.

The Irish-trained Admiral Barry will be one of a number of contenders expected to fight out the finish in the Cesarewitch Handicap.

The five-year-old's triumph over two miles at Galway will stand him in good stead, according to his handler, Eoin Griffin.

"We're very happy with the way things went with him over the summer. The transformation from the early part of his career has been nothing short of miraculous," said the County Kilkenny trainer.



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see also
Dettori rides four-timer at Ascot
25 Sep 10 |  Horse Racing
Hughes fails to get ban rescinded
07 Oct 10 |  Horse Racing
Twice Over wins Eclipse for Cecil
03 Jul 10 |  Horse Racing
BBC racing coverage
09 Apr 11 |  Horse Racing


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