Chindit and Thunder Moon feature in a field of 14 for Saturday's Darley Dewhurst Stakes.
A winner on his Doncaster debut in early July, Richard Hannon’s Chindit doubled his tally in a Listed race at Ascot before returning to Doncaster to complete his hat-trick in last month’s Group Two Champagne Stakes.
Hannon, who has never won the Dewhurst, also saddles a second unbeaten colt in Etonian, who has won twice at Sandown, most recently claiming the Group Three Solario Stakes in August.
Leading owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum has a strong hand after Marcus Tregoning’s impressive Mill Reef scorer Alkumait was supplemented to join the Owen Burrows-trained Albasheer. The latter was beaten a length into second place by Chindit at Doncaster four weeks ago.
Thunder Moon's late surge is timed to perfection to land the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh. #rteracing pic.twitter.com/FC4knJLh3a
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) September 13, 2020
A formidable Irish challenge is headed by National Stakes winner Thunder Moon, trained by Joseph O’Brien, whose father Aidan saddles a couple of runners in St Mark’s Basilica and Wembley in a bid for a seventh win in the race.
Jim Bolger also has a fine Dewhurst record with five victories and is represented by an interesting outsider in Poetic Flare, who has not been seen since making a winning debut at Naas in March, while Jessica Harrington sends Group Two winner Cadillac.
A stellar field is completed by Andrew Balding’s pair of Fivethousandtoone and Tactical, Decisive Edge (Brian Meehan), Devilwala (Ralph Beckett) and Devious Company (Tom Dascombe).
