The £250,000 Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes, run over seven furlongs at Newmarket on Champions' Day, Saturday, October 14, has attracted 135 entries, including 48 from Ireland and one from France.
The largest entry is provided by the powerful Ballydoyle yard of Aidan O'Brien, successful in 2001 with Rock Of Gibraltar, who is responsible for 41 entries in total.
They include the ante-post favourite for the Stan James 2000 Guineas, Holy Roman Emperor, a decisive length-and-three quarter winner from Coventry Stakes hero Hellvelyn in the Group One Phoenix Stakes over six furlongs at the Curragh on August 13, and Duke Of Marmalade, a neck second to Strategic Prince in the Group Two Vintage Stakes at Goodwood on August 2.
Last year's victor Sir Percy went on to take the Vodafone Derby in dramatic fashion in June, and his trainer Marcus Tregoning has the unraced quartet of Ajhar, Aqaleem, Atraas and Seteem engaged.
Mark Johnston, trainer of 2004 scorer Shamardal, has 14 entries including dual-winner Champery. Michael Stoute has 10 entries, among them Leopard King, a promising second on his debut over six furlongs at Newmarket on August 4, and Henry Cecil has a single entry in the once-raced Many Volumes.
Hamoody made it two wins from two outings in the Group Two six-furlong Richmond Stakes at Goodwood on August 4, while stablemate Dutch Art shares an identical profile having landed the Group Two Norfolk Stakes over five furlongs at Royal Ascot on June 22. Their trainer, Peter Chapple-Hyam, sent out Dr Devious, the 1992 Epsom Derby winner, to take the Dewhurst in his juvenile year.
Paul Cole, who landed the prize back in 1990 with future Epsom Derby hero Generous, has three entered, including his Group Two TNT July Stakes and Vintage Stakes winner Strategic Prince, and Barry Hills, looking for victory number four in the Dewhurst after Scenic (1988), In Command (1996) and Distant Music (1999), has eight entries, with Thousand Words looking the pick after winning both starts.
Sandwaki, trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias, has won all three starts to date over five furlongs, defeating subsequent Group Two Prix Robert Papin hero Boccassini in a Group Three contest at Maison-Laffitte last time out, and is the sole entry from France.
Other fascinating contenders include Teofilo, trained by Jim Bolger, who maintained his unbeaten record in a seven-furlong Listed event at Leopardstown on July 29, the Geoff Huffer-trained Cockney Rebel, a winner on his only start over six furlongs at Newmarket on July 22, and Furnace, trained by Michael Bell, successful on his debut over seven furlongs at Newmarket on August 11.
