Saturday 11th October 2025
Newmarket Future Champions Festival (Day 2)
1.15 Newmarket: Too Darn Hot Darley Stakes (Class 1) (Group 3)
We get things underway at Newmarket on Saturday with the 1.15, and this is the Group 3 Darley Stakes that’s ridden over a mile and a furlong. I’m with Gladius here for the team of Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy. He’s a progressive three-year-old by Night Of Thunder who’s progressed through the ranks with back-to-back handicap victories, to run a solid race in Group 3 company at York last time, finishing fourth and a length and three-quarters behind the winner. There should still be more to come from him, and this doesn’t look like the strongest of races for the level.
Gladius – 10/3 (Win)
1.50 Newmarket: Night Of Thunder Zetland Stakes (Class 1) (Group 3)
The second race of the day on Saturday at Newmarket is the Group 3 Zetland Stakes, and this is contested over a distance of a mile and two furlongs. I like the chances of Look To The Stars here for the Godolphin team of Charlie Appleby and William Buick. He’s a highly progressive sort who comes into the contest having won his last two starts at Kempton and Newbury over seven and eight furlongs, with the latter being a competitive conditions event. The step up to ten furlongs looks as though it will suit, given how strongly he kept to his task last time out, and he’s got every chance of having a big say for a yard that excels at this track.
Look To The Stars – 3/1 (Win)
2.25 Newmarket: Emirates Autumn Stakes (Class 1) (Group 3)
It’s more Group 3 action at 2.25, and this comes in the form of the Zetland Stakes, which is set to be ridden over a mile. I’ve come down on Hankelow in this particular affair for Karl Burke and Clifford Lee. He was a winner on debut and was only narrowly denied from following up in a Listed event at Doncaster last time out by a head. He steps up to a mile here, and that looks sure to suit him, given that he’s by Night Of Thunder and how he’s seen his races out over seven furlongs. There looks sure to be significant improvement still to come from him, and he has to be considered as a significant player in this.
Hankelow – 3/1 (Win)
3.00 Newmarket: Darley Dewhurst Stakes (Class 1) (Group 1)
The big one takes centre-stage at 3.00, and this is the Dewhurst Stakes contested over a mile. In this year’s renewal, I’ve got a strong fancy, and that comes in the form of Distant Storm, who currently heads the betting for Charlie Appleby and William Buick. I believe that he’s a horse who has bundles of star quality about him, and he showcased that last time out when powering away in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes last time out over course and distance, eventually winning by four and three-quarters of a length. Whilst there will be plenty of improvement to be had from most of the field here, I think it will take a big performance to stop this Night Of Thunder colt, and he’s my idea of the winner.
Distant Storm – 9/4 (Win) (NAP)
3.40 Newmarket: Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap (Class 2) (Heritage Handicap)
It’s one of the most competitive handicaps of the season at 3.40, and this comes in the form of the Cesarewitch Handicap over a marathon distance of two miles and two furlongs. I’ve tried my hand with two picks in this ultra-competitive affair, the first of which is Bunting for Willie Mullins and William Buick. Closutton have a fine record in this race, and this particular raider posted a very encouraging effort at Leopardstown last time out, finishing fifth of seventeen over thirteen furlongs, and running on in the closing stages. That should’ve put him spot on for this, and the jockey booking of Buick is eye-catching.
I also like Manxman for Simon & Ed Crisford and talented claimer Jack Callan, who takes a very handy five pounds off his back. He was second in the race last year, and whilst that run came off a significantly lower mark, he proved last time out at Goodwood that he can be competitive off this mark, when finishing a length third of six and keeping on over two miles. He’s on an unchanged mark here, which is effectively five pounds lower with the rider’s claim, and if he gets some luck in running, I think that he can go well again in this.
Bunting – 8/1 (Each-Way) & Manxman – 16/1 (Each-Way) (6 places – Sky Bet, Paddy Power)
4.50 Newmarket: Modern Games British EBF Boadicea Stakes (Class 1) (Listed)
I’m jumping to the final race of the card for my concluding selection of the day, which is Listed action over six furlongs. This is my second-best bet of the card, which is Celandine for Ed Walker and Kieran Shoemark. She was narrowly denied in a Listed event at Chester on her penultimate outing and ran with credit when finishing midfield in the Nunthorpe at York last time out, making headway from a long way back. The step back up to six furlongs here and having a quicker surface should play to her strengths, and she’s a former Lowther Stakes winner. I think that she has a big chance.
Celandine – 5/2 (Win) (NB)
