FLOATING away in the Red Sea is Oxagon, an industrial city developed for years ahead.
And it’s looking to the future that makes me think its equine namesake might be underestimated if he goes well in the biggest juvenile event of them all at Newmarket today.
GettyOisin Murphy can put a serious marker down for the 2,000 Guineas with victory in the Dewhurst on Saturday[/caption]
Oxagon trades at 50-1 for next year’s 2,000 Guineas, but he will be slashed from those odds if making a splash in this afternoon’s Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes, the two-year-old event won by champions like City of Troy, Frankel, Zafonic, Generous and El Gran Senor.
It won’t be easy, as this renewal looks a belter live on ITV Racing.
In the line-up are the Group 1 National Stakes one-two in the unbeaten Zavateri and Gstaad, plus Godolphin’s Distant Storm, who looked very good when hacking up in the Group 3 Somerville Tattersalls Stakes last month.
Then there is another horse yet to taste defeat in Alparslan, impressive for Karl Burke in a valuable sales race at the Curragh, as well as Italy and Gewan who have classy bits of form to their name.
Indeed, Gewan was was the 6-5 favourite when last seen in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, only to finish fourth behind last weekend’s Longchamp Group 1 hero Puerto Rico.
Oxagon was the Champagne second, and on the day I got the idea connections were disappointed.
Now, however, the form looks strong, and the son of Frankel didn’t get the best of runs that day before staying on nicely to be only beaten a length.
I think he’s over-priced for Saturday and for the Guineas, and he has every chance of providing champion jockey Oisin Murphy with a first Dewhurst victory.
Oxagon’s trainer, John Gosden, who now is in partnership with his son Thady, bagged the juvenile gem with Too Darn Hot in 2018.
It would be wrong not to flag the terrific season Eve Johnson Houghton has had with Zavateri, a bargain 35,000gns yearling, although a horse who was never meant to be sold for so little.
The July Stakes, Vintage and National hero would be much shorter in the betting today if handled by Gstaad’s trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Johnson Houghton is a cracking trainer and this is one of the biggest days in her career.
She will remember only too well her old man Fulke took the Dewhurst with Tout Seul in 2002 as well as Ribofilio in 1968!
Of course the big betting race for many this afternoon is the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap over two and a quarter miles, a race that famously develops over two counties.
The draw is often key in the Cesarewitch, for all many will say there is plenty of time to get organised.
This time last year Alphonse le Grande got the better of Manxman to land a 33-1 shock under Jamie Powell, and both horses go again.
This time Manxman has to give his old rival 1lb, but I still feel Manxman can reverse the form.
My selection returned to form with a staying on third at Goodwood last time.
The Simon & Ed Crisford-trained inmate had been out of sorts in two runs prior to that effort but had been a decent winner back at the Sussex course earlier in the season.
Last term he was second in this off a mark of 86 and while he goes off 94 here I still think he can play a decent part from a perfect draw in stall 2.
Jack Callan takes off 5lb, which actually means he’s only 3lb higher than 12 months ago. An each-way chance.
Tony Martin trains Alphonse le Grande, and he’s seen as one of the canniest handlers in the business.
But so is another Irishman in Charles Byrnes, and he saddles Reverend Hubert.
The Reverend was a winner last time out and many bookies can only now pray for his defeat.
Willie Mullins is always to be feared in these events, and the champion jumps trainer relies on Bunting, Hipop de Loire and Winter Fog.
The latter is an old boy at the age of 11, but finished third behind Golden Ace in the Champion Hurdle back in March. He’s no mug.
Bunting goes in the colours of mega punter Tony Bloom, and was once fourth to Kargese in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown.
All in all the Cambridgeshire is a right conundrum but hopefully Manxman can hit the frame.
A cracking day ahead… Yeeehaaa!
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