Dewhurst Stakes 2016: All Points to Blue at Newmarket

The Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes is the most prestigious race for two-year-olds staged in Britain and has been won in the last decade by subsequent classic winners New Approach (2007), Frankel (2010) and Dawn Approach (2012). Air Force Blue established himself as the season's leading juvenile with a dominant success 12 months ago and trainer Aidan O'Brien will be hopeful of repeating the dose with one of the six horses he currently has entered in Saturday's feature race.

O'Brien has won the Dewhurst on four occasions since taking over at Ballydoyle in 1996 and his best chance of victory number five appears to come in the shape of last month's National Stakes winner, Churchill. He completed the four-timer with a workmanlike victory at the Curragh, delivering a strong challenge as the field entered the final furlong and quickly asserting once Mehmas' stamina began to give way. He barely needed to improve to open his account at the top level that day, but has often given the impression there is more there when required and remains a most exciting prospect. He should consolidate that view with a big run here and looks the stable's chief representative, with Beresford Stakes winner Capri seemingly more likely to wait for the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster later this month.

South Seas heads the home defence for Andrew Balding and comes into Saturday's race on the back of a ready victory in the Solario Stakes at Sandown in August. He brought up the hat-trick with the minimum of fuss that day and certainly showed enough to suggest he is worth his place in a race of this nature. The form of that contest is beginning to work out well (runner-up filled the same spot in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Chantilly on Sunday) and - open to more improvement after just three starts - South Seas is entitled to respect as he attempts to emulate Elm Park and become a Group 1-winning two-year-old for the same connections. 

John Gosden has won a whole host of big races around the world, but the Dewhurst Stakes remains a glaring omission from his decorated CV and he will be hoping to put that right with the unbeaten Seven Heavens on Saturday. He was reminiscent of sire and 2010 Dewhurst-winner Frankel when making a successful racecourse bow at Ascot in July, impressing with the way he carried himself and only needing to be ridden out to hold the late thrust of the useful Lockheed. That rival boosted the form when finishing four and a half lengths third to Churchill in the National Stakes last time, but Seven Heavens won't have learnt much from winning a two-runner race at Goodwood on his only subsequent outing and the suspicion is he might just lack the experience for a race of this nature.

Rivet, on the other hand, has proven form in group company to his name, underlining his talent with a determined victory in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last month and shaping as if there could yet be more to come. He was forced to work hard enough to see off the attentions of Thunder Snow that day, though, and that effort looks well below the standard likely to be needed to be involved here.

Indeed, the bare form of that race gives him some 9 lb to find with Blue Point on ratings and it is the Charlie Appleby-trained runner that appeals as the best bet at the time of writing. He identified himself as a very smart juvenile when running out a three-length winner of the Gimcrack Stakes at York in August and was hardly disgraced when second on his most recent outing in the Middle Park Stakes at this venue. He arguably fared better than the bare result on that occasion, conceding first run to the winner and finding no extra late on as the effort of quickening to challenge took its toll.

He deserves another chance to confirm the promise of his York success and - although his tendency to take a keen hold is an obvious concern over this longer trip - Blue Point appears to have the most inherent talent of any runner in this storied contest and is unlikely to be 7/1 if his participation on Saturday is confirmed.

Recommended Bet:

Back Blue Point at 7/1 in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday