Newmarket Saturday

Darley Dewhurst Stakes (Group 1)

AIDAN O’Brien became the most successful trainer in the history of the Dewhurst as 6/4 chance Darkness Falls (Ryan Moore) gave him a ninth victory in the seven-furlong Group 1 on Future Champions Day at Newmarket.

Prominent throughout, he led three furlongs out and found extra when joined in the final furlong to beat 10/11 Favourite Desert Castle (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) by a neck, with the winner’s stablemate Great Barrier Reef (Wayne Lordan) two and a quarter lengths back in third.

The victory prompted talk of a 2027 Triple Crown campaign. A son of Camelot, who won the 2000 Guineas and Derby in 2012 before finishing a controversial second in the St Leger behind Encke, Darkness Falls had won the Group 1 Golden Fleece Stakes (one mile, one furlong) at Leopardstown to prove his stamina, and he clearly has the speed to contend for the Guineas on this showing.

O’Brien said: “It was a big call to come here and incredible to bring a horse back from nine furlongs to the Dewhurst. We have always loved him – he has a lot of class.

“The Triple Crown is the dream. His dad went close to doing it and was an incredible horse.

“This horse is very like him, but quicker.

“Hopefully, if everything goes well, he will start off in the Guineas next year. He’s going to get a mile and a quarter at least, and with his class there is every chance he will get a mile and a half around Epsom.”

Le Grande doubles up for Martin

Club Godolphin Cesarewitch

THE 18/1 chance Alphonse Le Grande (Tony Martin/Patrick McGettigan), successful in 2024, became only the second dual winner of the two-and-a-quarter-mile Heritage Handicap after Aaim To Prosper in 2010 and 2012.

Held up, the seven-year-old made headway from four furlongs out and, still off the pace two furlongs from home, continued his progress before edging ahead close home to beat 4/1 favourite Sea Lantern (Brian Ellison/Rowan Scott) by a short-head in the 29-runner contest, with Dawn Rising (Joseph O’Brien/Ryan Moore) another length and a quarter back in third.

Humidity defies absence

Andrew Balding saddled a 1-2-3 in the nine-furlong Group 3 as well-backed 15/8 chance Humidity (James Doyle) led over two furlongs out and kept on well to beat 7/4 Favourite The Lost King (William Buick) by a length and a half, with 20/1 chance High Stock (Rob Hornby) another length and a quarter away. Humidity was returning from an absence of more than a year.

Runner-up to subsequent 2000 Guineas winner Bow Echo in the 2025 Royal Lodge Stakes, Humidity was making his first start since, and his first since being gelded.

Balding said: “His two-year-old form was very strong and it’s a real shame he’s missed the majority of this year. We got him to the point of race fitness and he looked pretty good today.

“He could be a horse for the Prince of Wales’s at Royal Ascot, and there might be some foreign targets for him.”

Drumbeat in Derby picture

The 10/11 Favourite Drumbeat (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) gave O’Brien a fourth victory in the Group 3 Zetland Stakes over 10 furlongs, making headway from three furlongs out and forging clear after leading two furlongs out to beat Wykehurst Park (Andrew Balding/Rob Hornby) by five and a half lengths, with Apulia Bay (Simon and Ed Crisford/James Doyle) a further two lengths away, in a two-year-old course-record 2m 0.72s.

O’Brien said: “He is a lovely horse with plenty of class. He likes getting a lead and gets the trip very well.

“He could be a very classy middle-distance horse.

“A Derby trial in the spring looks likely and we will also look at the Group 1 in France for him this season.”

Montreal rocks

William Buick rode a remarkable seventh winner of the Group 3 Autumn Stakes as 11/8 Favourite Rock Montreal (Roger Varian/William Buick) came from off the pace to lead inside the final furlong and beat Sergei Diaghilev (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) by a neck, with Al Jabbar (Charlie Appleby/Billy Loughnane) a further two and a quarter lengths away in third. Buick already held the record for the most wins by a jockey in the Autumn Stakes having won it five times for Charlie Appleby in the last decade as well as scoring aboard Hugo Palmer’s Gifted Master in 2015.

Trainer Roger Varian said: “I thought it was a good performance. He was on the wrong side and still showed a bit of greenness, but he was impressive coming down the outside on his own. “I think he is an out-and-out miler who will get quicker as he matures over the winter.”

Chepstow weekend

WITH Chepstow unable to stage racing over fences currently, the traditional season-opener at the Welsh venue was split, with an all-hurdle card at Chepstow’s three-day meeting last weekend followed by a chase-only card at Ffos Las on Wednesday, featuring some high-quality action to whet the appetite of National Hunt aficionados.

Chepstow’s three days had its focus on Friday, with the card sponsored by local bookmaking firm DragonBet, including The Welsh Champion Hurdle, which went to Pioneer Pete for Jonjo & A J O’Neill and ridden by Jonjo Jr.

The well-backed 3/1 favourite jumped slickly and led from early on the second circuit, turning the screw in the straight and in control when hanging left in the closing stages. He is likely to be attractively weighted from his new rating of 133 in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

Persian War Novices’

In a field full of previous winners, it was something of a surprise that the Grade 2 Persian War went to the only maiden in the field, and West Hill Verde (Seamus Mullins/Callum Pritchard) was returned at 16/1 after beating La Cote Fleurie (Henry de Bromhead/Darragh O’Keeffe). Placed in graded company last term, this wasn’t a fluke win from the son of Planteur by any means, although he looked booked for second when La Cote Fleurie cruised into the lead between the final two flights, but he stayed on best after the mare landed flat-footed at the last.

Daylatedollarshort profits

Feature race on Saturday was the Wasdell Group Silver Trophy, a Premier Handicap Hurdle, which went to Daylatedollarshort (Olly Murphy/Sean Bowen), who pulled away after the last to beat Perseus Way (Tristan Davidson/Harry Reed) by two and a quarter lengths, but the result was in the balance when strong-travelling leader, Moon Chime, fell at the last when holding every chance.

The winner was well found at 4/1, however, and is open to further improvement now he’s proving easier to settle, with the Intermediate Hurdle at Cheltenham’s November meeting reportedly next on his agenda. He is an exciting chasing prospect further down the line, too.

Ffos Las Wednesday

THE feature handicap at Ffos Las on Wednesday saw Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies continue their good run of form as Ballycamus (Sam Twiston-Davies) stayed on best to land the Native River Handicap Chase at 6/1, beating Gyenyame (Joe Tizzard/Brendan Powell) by a length and a quarter in a race where only three finished on soft ground. It was a good day for Dan and Harry Skelton at Ffos Las, and the highlight of a double on the card was the win of Captain Teague in the Listed Novices’ Chase, beating odds-on favourite Tutti Quanti (Paul Nicholls/Sam Twiston-Davies).

The winner had lost his way for Nicholls last term but bounced back to form on his first start for new connections.

If that irked Nicholls, it won’t have improved his mood that Skelton’s other impressive winner, Sinnatra in the novices’ handicap chase, is also a Ditcheat graduate.