Confirmed runners and riders for a blockbuster Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday

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Damysus will be searching for a fourth win in a row and a first at Group 1 level after being one of ten declared for Saturday's Lockinge Stakes at Newbury (2.35).

The Wathnan-owned four-year-old made an impressive winning return last month when landing the Group 3 Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket. He steps into deeper waters here and runs at the top level for only the second time after finishing last in last year's Derby.

John and Thady Gosden have won three of the last six runnings of the race and will be hoping Damysus can continue their fine record.

His rivals include the Karl Burke-trained Zeus Olympios, who lost his unbeaten record when third to Opera Ballo in the bet365 Mile at Sandown last month but can be expected to improve for that seasonal return. Cicero's Gift, who was fourth in that race at Sandown, has also been declared.

Charlie Appleby last won this race in 2023 with Modern Games and he has declared four-time Group 1 winner Notable Speech.

Notable Speech: seeking a fifth Group 1 triumphCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Aidan O'Brien had three entrants but declared only two, headed by The Lion In Winter, who is the mount of Ryan Moore. The other is market outsider Mississippi River, with Sean Levey taking the ride.

Other declarations include last year's runner-up Dancing Gemini for Roger Teal, while Jonquil goes for Andrew Balding in the same Juddmonte colours that saw Lead Artist topple Dancing Gemini 12 months ago.

Tom Marquand will partner the William Haggas-trained More Thunder, while there is international interest in the shape of the Francis Graffard-trained Sahlan, who makes his first start since finishing fifth in last year's Breeders' Cup Mile. He will bid to become the first French-trained winner since Keltos in 2002.

Going and weather latest at Newbury

Newbury currently good, good to firm in placesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Newbury's two-day meeting begins on Friday and clerk of the course George Hill is planning to water later on Thursday after a dry month in which the track has received only three and a half millimetres of rain since the Greenham meeting four weeks ago.

He said on Thursday afternoon: “We are expecting some showers later this afternoon, maybe into the evening. We only had half a millimetre from showers yesterday.

“The ground is good, good to firm in places, and we're aiming for mostly good ground tomorrow and then letting it dry back for Saturday's feature races.

“We will be doing a bit of selective watering on Thursday but we are leaving it late to monitor the showers and then there'll be no irrigation after racing tomorrow.

“We'll probably be putting down around four or five millimetres. It won't be a big quantity and it won't be on all parts of the track, only where it's needed.”

Confirmed runners and riders for the Lockinge Stakes

Cicero's Gift Jason Watson
Damysus James Doyle
Dancing Gemini Rossa Ryan
Jonquil Colin Keane
Mississippi River Sean Levey
More Thunder Tom Maquand
Notable Speech William Buick
Sahlan Mickael Barzalona
The Lion In Winter Ryan Moore
Zeus Olympios Clifford Lee

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