Confirmed runners and riders for Saturday's Lockinge Stakes at Newbury

Palace Pier will bid to cement his status as the leading older miler this season and will face 11 rivals in a top-class renewal of the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (3.35) at Newbury on Saturday.

The son of Kingman was crowned the Cartier Champion Three-year-old Colt following a glittering campaign that saw him claim the St James's Palace Stakes and the Prix Jacques Le Marois last year, and he made an impressive comeback when an eight-length winner of the bet365 Mile at Sandown last month.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained four-year-old will now make his return to the top level in the mile Group 1 at the Berkshire track, having tasted his only career defeat in that company when third in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes last October.

Lope Y Fernandez – third in last year's Breeders' Cup Mile and victorious on his first start of the season at Leopardstown last month – spearheads the challenge for Aidan O'Brien and is the Ballydoyle trainer's sole representative, while Earl Of Sefton Stakes winner My Oberon heads the remainder of the British challengers.

Lope Y Fernandez: Aidan O'Brien's only runner in the Lockinge StakesCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The progressive Top Rank, Jebel Hatta winner Lord Glitters and Dhalia Stakes heroine Lady Bowthorpe also feature among the final field of 12 for the Lockinge, which was cancelled last year due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes racecard and betting

2019 St Leger winner Logician is the star act on the undercard at Newbury and bids to get his career back on track in the Group3 Al Rayyan Stakes (2.25).

The five-year-old was only seen twice last season, winning a conditions stakes at Doncaster before he was a bitterly disappointing in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes at York in October. He faces a tough task against Al Aasy, who was impressive in a course and distance Group 3 on his latest start.

At Newmarket, Cazoo Derby dark horse John Leeper will aim to maintain his unbeaten record in the Fairway Stakes (2.00) and heads a field of six for the 1m2f Listed contest.

Poetic Flare and Mother Earth set for French foray

2,000 and 1,000 Guineas winners Poetic Flare and Mother Earth are on course to bid for a unique double in the French equivalents as they featured among the penultimate declarations stage for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Pouliches at Longchamp on Sunday.

Poetic Flare: among the penultimate declarations stage for the Poule d'Essai des PoulainsCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The Jim Bolger-trained Poetic Flare, victorious by a short head at the Rowley Mile, heads a field of 12 for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains which also features the Dewhurst Stakes hero St Mark's Basilica for Aidan O'Brien.

Mother Earth will be O'Brien's sole representative in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and is among 14 left in the mile Classic, as she bids to become the first horse to win both the English and French Guineas since Special Duty was awarded both races in the Stewards Room in 2010.

Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes final field

1 Bless HimJamie Spencer
2 Century Dream James Doyle
3 Happy PowerSilvestre De Sousa
4 Lope Y FernandezRyan Moore
5 Lord Campari Andrea Atzeni
6 Lord GlittersDaniel Tudhope
7 My OberonTom Marquand
8 Palace PierFrankie Dettori
9 PogoKieran Shoemark
10 Safe VoyageJason Hart
11 Top RankPJ McDonald
12 Lady BowthorpeOisin Murphy

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a three-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday