Who can emulate Frankel and City Of Troy? Assessing the key contenders for Saturday's 2025 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket
The Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket takes place on Saturday (3.00) and a high-class field looks set to take their chance in a Group 1 which has produced numerous top-class winners including the mighty Frankel.
Here we assess the form of the leading contenders and produce an early verdict on who will come out on top . . .
Distant Storm
Form: 131
Strengths: Trained by Charlie Appleby, he was purchased for €1.9 million at a breeze-up sale in May and made a winning start when landing a maiden in July, beating Constitution River by a short head. That Aidan O'Brien-trained rival has won both starts since, including a Group 2 victory at the Curragh.
Distant Storm finished third in the Acomb on his second start before returning to winning ways in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes, where he scored by four and three-quarter lengths.
His two wins have both come at Newmarket, one on the July course and the other on the Rowley Mile.
Weaknesses: Has yet to race above Group 3 level, while some of his rivals have already competed in a Group 1. He has also recorded lower Racing Post Ratings compared to Gstaad and Zavateri, although those two achieved their peak ratings on their fourth starts.
Odds: 5-2
What they say
Charlie Appleby, trainer of Distant Storm on September 25 after the Tattersalls Stakes: "We were adamant to drop him in and let the race develop in front of him and in doing so we've seen his acceleration. I think we've seen a nice horse in the making.
"William [Buick] was impressed and, with the way this season is stacking up with two-year-olds, my initial impression is to look at the Dewhurst. If it were sound ground conditions I'd be happy to take them on. He's definitely up there."
Gstaad
Form: 1122
Strengths: The Aidan O'Brien-trained son of Starspangledbanner has been beaten narrowly in Group 1s on his last two starts, firstly at Deauville when beaten a short neck by Venetian Sun and then at the Curragh when a head behind Zavateri.
Gstaad won his first two starts, including an impressive three-length success in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. His debut came at Navan, where he beat odds-on stablemate True Love, who went on to land the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in September.
O’Brien has trained five of the last ten winners of the Dewhurst.
Weaknesses: Beaten last time by Zavateri, who reopposes here, so will need to reverse that form. Yet to score over further than six furlongs.
Odds: 100-30
Zavateri
Form: 1111
Strengths: Zavateri is the highest-rated runner in the field, as well as being the only Group 1 winner – credentials that stand the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained colt in good stead.
That top-level success came last time out when he got the better of Gstaad in a thrilling finish to the National Stakes at the Curragh, giving Johnson Houghton one of the biggest victories of her career.
The colt has proved outstanding value for the 35,000gns he cost last October, earning £356,394 from just four starts. His other wins include a debut novice success followed by Group 2 triumphs in the July Stakes and the Vintage Stakes.
Weaknesses: Tackles the Rowley Mile for the first time and will need to improve again to reach the winning RPR level of recent Dewhurst winners. The lowest in the last ten runnings was 117, recorded by Shadow Of Light last year, while the highest was 125 from Too Darn Hot in 2018 and Air Force Blue in 2015.
Odds: 100-30
What they say
Mick Mariscotti, owner of Zavateri: "The last two runs have shown that he's incredibly brave. He refused to get beaten at Goodwood and the Curragh. That's something really special. It's not something you can teach, a horse has either got it or he hasn't.
"We hope that will stand him in good stead on Saturday. He's going to come up against Gstaad again and it was very close between them [at the Curragh]. And there are other very good horses in the race, but we go into it full of confidence and hope he performs to his best."
Oxagon
Form: 512
Strengths: This John and Thady Gosden-trained runner received a significant form boost when Puerto Rico won the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp on Sunday.
Oxagon was beaten only a length by Puerto Rico in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. He also boasts a standout pedigree, being by Frankel and out of Endless Charm, a daughter of Dubawi.
The juvenile’s sole victory from three runs came when running out an emphatic eight-length winner of a 7f novice at Sandown. Oisin Murphy is set to take the ride, which further enhances his claims given the champion jockey’s current form.
Weaknesses: Finished fifth on his debut in a race won by Distant Storm, who has since gone on to land higher-quality contests. Rated 11lb lower than Zavateri and 10lb below Gstaad.
Odds: 8-1
How about the rest?
Aidan O’Brien could also be represented by Italy, a debut winner who has since performed well in defeat, finishing second in the Superlative and Acomb Stakes, as well as being beaten two and three-quarter lengths by Zavateri at the Curragh. The trainer also has Hawk Mountain, Dorset, and Brussels in the field.
Karl Burke is enjoying a remarkable season with his juveniles and could saddle Alparslan, who is unbeaten in two starts. The son of Dandy Man steps into Pattern company for the first time.
Andrew Balding, who the Dewhurst with Chaldean in 2022, could run Acomb winner Gewan. The son of Night Of Thunder went off favourite for the Champagne Stakes won by Puerto Rico.
The Verdict
Johnson Houghton’s Zavateri has been seriously impressive on his last two outings, showing a battling quality you can’t always teach – something that will be invaluable in what promises to be a highly competitive race.
There remain question marks over Distant Storm’s ability to mix it with the higher-class pair of Gstaad and Zavateri, and it could again come down to a duel between the latter two, as it did at the Curragh.
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