Unbeaten Sir Michael Stoute juvenile Sangarius to put Classic credentials on the line in star studded Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket
UNBEATEN Sangarius is to step up to Group 1 company on his next start.
The Dewhurst at Newmarket has been lined up by connections after his taking win at the St Leger meeting last week.
The son of Kingman made a sizeable impression when winning the Listed Flying Scotsman at Doncaster last week, on only his second start.
Already touted as a 2000 Guineas horse, the juvenile will audition for the Newmarket classic with a run in the Dewhurst on the Rowley Mile.
The Juddmonte colt is already as short as 10-1 for the early season Classic next spring.
Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner-breeder Khalid Abdullah, said: "Sangarius has come out of his Doncaster victory fine and the Dewhurst is the race that we are looking at his likely next start - though it might not be a great year to be pointing one towards the Dewhurst as it looks like being an extremely strong renewal!
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"He is a fine, scopey horse but is still a work in progress. He needs to improve upon what he achieved in the Flying Scotsman to be competitive in the Dewhurst, but we do feel that he deserves to take his chance.
"He has won on both good to firm and good to soft ground and, although it is hard to tell, there is nothing in either side of his pedigree to suggest that he won't handle even softer ground."
Abdullah's former star miler Kingman is enjoying an excellent first season as a stallion, having also produced the now sidelined Coventry Stakes winner Calyx, who is as short as 6-1 for the Guineas.
Grimthorpe added: "He is from the first crop of Kingman, who has performed above expectations in his first season as a stallion, even though those expectations were quite high.
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"His first Group winner was of course Calyx, who has been out injured since he won the Coventry Stakes, but the good news is that Calyx is on the way back, he is no lost cause, and I'm hopeful of his prospects for next season.
"Nevertheless, his injury was a real blow, and even the emergence of Sangarius has not really softened it."
Sangarius was one of 48 colts and fillies to stand their ground for the Dewhurst at Tuesday's scratching stage.
His potential opponents include the John Gosden-trained Too Darn Hot, who is a clear favourite for the 2000 Guineas following his stunning display in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last Saturday, and Charlie Appleby's National Stakes hero Quorto.
Aidan O'Brien's squad features National Stakes runner-up Anthony Van Dyck and the unbeaten Ten Sovereigns.