Confirmed runners and riders for bet365 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket

Harry Dunlop will aim to sign off his training career in style on Friday as Polly Pott bids for a top-level triumph in the bet365 Fillies' Mile (3.35).

The two-year-old will line up against seven rivals in the Newmarket Group 1 contest where she will seek a triumphant end to Dunlop's 16-year career.

Dunlop announced in August he would close his yard at the end of the season due to the economic climate before enjoying a 40-1 shock success in the May Hill Stakes just a month later with Polly Pott, who will now make her first start in Group 1 company.

The daughter of Muhaarar seeks to complete a five-timer this season under David Probert, who has twice ridden the filly to success.

Speaking from Tattersalls Book 1 sale on Tuesday, Dunlop said: "She's in good form and the Megsons [owners] were really sporting to pay the supplement fee of £35,000, which was a big decision. Overall she seems to have come out of the May Hill well and we think, fingers crossed, the form is good.

"Ground-wise she's won on fast and soft, although I hope it will be good. She seems in good form but has to improve from the Group 2, but it's exciting to be involved."

The Fillies' Mile is set to be a hotly contested race with last year's field producing four subsequent Group 1 winners, including star filly Inspiral.

Last year's winning trainers John and Thady Gosden head the field once more with Commissioning, who is a general 6-1 second-favourite for the 1,000 Guineas.

The Kingman filly was an impressive winner of the Rockfel Stakes last month under Robert Havlin, who retains the ride.

Aidan O'Brien will bid to equal Sir Henry Cecil's record in the race with six winners and saddles Library, after the Ballydoyle trainer failed to declare Be Happy, Delightful and Never Ending Story.

bet365 Fillies' Mile runners and riders

AlseyoobTom Marquand
Bright DiamondClifford Lee
CommissioningRobert Havlin
Ferrari QueenAndrea Atzeni
LibraryRyan Moore
NovakaiWilliam Buick
Polly PottDavid Probert
Sparkling BeautyDavid Egan

Nicholls out to assert dominance at Chepstow

Paul Nicholls seeks to make a winning start to the new jumps season at Chepstow with a ninth success in the Unibet Persian War Novices' Hurdle (2.10).

His sole runner in the Grade 2 contest will be Outlaw Peter, who was targeted for this race in May following an impressive 11-length win at Kempton.

The six-year-old features among nine entries for the 2m3½f race on the opening fixture of Chepstow's two-day meeting, which marks the beginning of the 2022-2023 jump season.

Presentandcounting: will line up for the Persian War Novices' Hurdle on FridayCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Presentandcounting, a decisive winner of his last three starts for Donald McCain, heads the ratings ahead of the Dan Skelton-trained Quid Pro Quo, who seeks back-to-back wins for JP McManus following Camprond's victory in 2021.

2019 and 2020 Persian War winners Thyme Hill and McFabulous were set to make their chasing debuts in the Tom Malone Bloodstock Novices' Chase but were not declared, leaving a final field of just three runners.

Unibet Persian War Novices' Hurdle runners and riders

Accidental RebelPaddy Brennan
Deeper BlueLorcan Murtagh
Hector Javilex Tom Bellamy
Outlaw PeterHarry Cobden
PresentandcountingBrian Hughes
Quid Pro QuoHarry Skelton
Scipion Stan Sheppard
LegionarMitchell Bastyan
Gentle ConnectionsLorcan Williams

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