Top two-year-olds clash in Group 1s at Newmarket's Cambridgeshire meeting plus €200,000 Kerry National at Listowel

Monday

Ger Lyons and Colin Keane have combined to win two of the last four runnings of the Listed Ballyhane Blenheim Stakes (5.45) at Fairyhouse and the trainer and jockey team up again with the hat-trick-seeking Howd'yadoit.

Soaring Monarch is rated 4lb lower than when winning the feature 1m4f handicap (4.20) last year on day two of Listowel's harvest festival and he bids to record his first victory since joining trainer James Barrett from Alan McIntyre. 

Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly made a successful debut in the 7f maiden (3.53) for newcomers at Leicester in 2023 and Dan Skelton has booked Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe-winning rider Rossa Ryan to partner his first two-year-old runner, Salkadan.

Harry Derham has his first jumps runner in the double green of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede in the 2m1½f juvenile maiden hurdle (3.40) at Fontwell, with JJ Slevin making the journey to ride at the track for the first time on Bouboule.

Isaac Souede (left) and Simon Munir (right): have their first jumps runner with Harry Derham at FontwellCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

James Park Woods bids to back up wins at Bath and Brighton in Hamilton's opening 1m½f apprentice handicap (1.48) before the Sarkar family-owned pair of Gretna Dreams (4.25) and Midnight Rodeo (5.30) also go for hat-tricks at Wolverhampton.

Tuesday

Jessica Harrington has two chances of winning the Listed Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes (3.50) for the third year in a row as she runs Norwalk Havoc and Lavender Breeze.

Group 3 winner Coto De Caza receives weight from all four of her rivals in the feature 5f conditions race at Beverley, a course and distance where Simon and Ed Crisford's filly won her only previous start.

Charlie Maggs has ridden four winners from his last five mounts and he has been booked by David Dennis to partner the hat-trick-seeking Hobie at Warwick (2.28).

Lingfield and Southwell both stage nine-race all-weather cards.

Wednesday

Joseph O'Brien has trained two of the last four winners of the Guinness Kerry National Handicap Chase (4.23) and he could be represented by his 2021 winner Busselton and course winner San Salvador in the €200,000 Grade 3 at Listowel.

Group 1 winner Ancient Wisdom could make his first appearance since being gelded in the Listed Virgin Bet Foundation Stakes (3.35) at Goodwood. Kempton and Redcar also stage Flat fixtures.

Ancient Wisdom: gelded since finishing fifth in the Coronation CupCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Whistle Stop Tour, who Derek Fox rode instead of stablemate and eventual winner Myretown in the Ultima last season, could potentially make his reappearance in the feature 3m handicap chase (5.25) at Perth.

Thursday

Newmarket's three-day Cambridgeshire meeting gets under way, headlined by the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes (3.35) and Godolphin are responsible for four of the ten entries in a race that the owners won with La Barrosa and Modern Games in 2020 and 2021.

Last year's German Derby winner Palladium got back on track at Salisbury last time when winning on his first start since being gelded and Billy Loughnane, who rode Lady Bamford's €1.4 million purchase for the first time on that occasion, is booked on the John and Thady Gosden-trained four-year-old in the Listed Jockey Club Rose Bowl Stakes (4.10).

Fred Winter winner Puturhandstogether could carry top weight in the Listed 2m handicap hurdle (3.25) at Listowel, before another Cheltenham Festival winner –The Real Whacker – could run over hurdles for the first time since October 2022 at Perth (4.18).

The Real Whacker: set for a rare hurdles outingCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Pontefract and Newcastle host Flat fixtures.

Friday

Opera Ballo has won his last two starts in Listed company and he could make his a belated first appearance in Group company in the Boylesports Daily Racing Rewards Joel Stakes (3.00) at Newmarket after being a non-runner due to unsuitably soft ground at Glorious Goodwood.

Touleen and Diamond Necklace could put their unbeaten records on the line for Owen Burrows and Aidan O'Brien respectively in the Group 2 Boylesports Home Of The Early Payout Rockfel Stakes (2.25).

Isle Of Jura is being aimed at the Listed Boylesports Smart Race Card Godolphin Stakes (3.35) on what would be George Scott's stable star's first start since beating subsequent King George winner Goliath in last year's Hardwicke Stakes.

Isle Of Jura: could return after more than a year off the track Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The Listed Boylesports British EBF Rosemary Stakes (1.15) and Group 3 Princess Royal Stakes (1.50) are the other Newmarket races that will be shown on ITV, as will Worcester's £70,000 trustatrader.com Fixed Brush Hurdle Series Final Novices' Handicap Hurdle (2.42).

There is a €100,000 Listed 2m handicap hurdle (3.08) at Listowel. Haydock and Newcastle race on the Flat. 

Saturday 

Lowther winner Royal Fixation's only defeat came when beaten a neck by Venetian Sun at Newmarket's July meeting and she bids to fare better on the Rowley Mile in the Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes (2.23).

That 6f Group 1 for two-year-old fillies is followed by the colts' equivalent, the Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes (2.58) as well as the £175,000 bet365 Cambridgeshire. Montreal is the clear 2-1 favourite in the Tattersalls Online Royal Lodge Stakes (1.48) earlier on the Newmarket card and the other Group 2 on the day comes from the Curragh, which stages the Beresford Stakes (2.35).

The Goffs Million (3.45) follows the Beresford on a day where Listowel's week-long harvest festival ends with a seven-race jumps card.

Three of Haydock's races will be shown on ITV and there are also Flat fixtures at Ripon and Southwell. Market Rasen is the only jumps meeting in Britain.

Sunday

The Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch (4.22) is the main event of the day with the €600,000.00 handicap accompanied by the Group 3 Renaissance Stakes (3.12) and Weld Park Stakes on the Curragh card.

A £75,000 7f Class 2 Newcastle handicap (6.45) is the most valuable race of the day in Britain and comes after fellow Flat fixtures at Epsom and Ffos Las will have concluded.

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