Newmarket Racecourse is gearing up for its Future Champions Festival, a two-day event of high-class racing that kicks off on Friday. The opening day's highlight is the Group One Fillies’ Mile at 2.57pm, where the unbeaten Godolphin filly Musical Times is anticipated to be a strong contender.
Saturday's racing card is expected to draw significant betting interest, with the historic Cesarewitch Handicap at 3.40pm being the feature race. Beylerbeyi, last year's winner, is set to return to defend his crown. He was last seen finishing behind Caballo De Mer in the Group Two Doncaster Cup.
Caballo De Mer recently secured a victory over Scandinavia in the Group One Prix du Cadran at Longchamp. Ian Williams' six-year-old Beylerbeyi will carry 10 pounds more than last year in the Cesarewitch.
Other notable entries for the Cesarewitch include Jim Goldie’s Mountain Road, who won a two-mile handicap at Thirsk in May and has since placed third at Ascot and second at York. Joseph O’Brien’s Dawn Rising, who finished second to Beylerbeyi in last season's contest, is also set to run off the same mark as last year. Ryan Moore has been booked to ride Dawn Rising, marking their first partnership since a victory three years ago.
Elsewhere on Saturday, the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at 3.00pm will see a clash between Aidan O’Brien’s Darkness Falls and Charlie Appleby’s Desert Castle. Desert Castle, who won the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, is currently the favourite for the 2000 Guineas. Breacher, who finished third behind Desert Castle at Doncaster, is scheduled to run in the Group Three Autumn Stakes at 2.25pm.