Dewhurst Stakes 2013 Preview

Stars and Strips - Outstrip can shine in the Dewhurst on Future Champions' Day

This Saturday its Future Champions’ Day at Newmarket, featuring a plethora of Group races including the Group 1 Middle Park and the Group 1 Dewhurst, won last year by the brilliant Dawn Approach.

Last year’s Dewhurst saw Dawn Approach go off at a very short-price indeed and though this year’s Coventry winner War Command looks set to be the hot favourite for the race, he faces a field of five other horses including Godolphin’s talented Outstrip.

War Command turned in arguably the most visually impressive victory of the meeting at Royal Ascot when running away with the Coventry and immediately shot to the head of the betting for next year’s classics. The form of the Coventry hasn’t exactly worked out fantastically though and War Command himself gave it another knock when beaten at Group 1 level in the Phoenix Stakes in August.

The son of War Front soon bounced back to winning ways when landing the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at the Curragh though and leads the way here on ratings. Trainer Aidan O’Brien could have run any number here and the fact that he relies chiefly on War Command (with Friendship likely to make the running) suggests a big run is expected and thus he remains the one to beat.

At the prices though, there’s no need to make too much of a case to side with Outstrip however.