Ektihaam and Spiritual Star step up to fight Power in Dewhurst

ROGER Varian’s Ektihaam bids to show he is as good as his home reputation suggests when he takes a big step up in class in the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket today.

The youngster certainly looked the real deal when winning a typically warm Newbury maiden on his racecourse debut and he then ran away with the same conditions race at Doncaster that the mighty Frankel had won 12 months earlier. He will face a far sterner test this weekend with proven Group One winner Power in the line-up but Angus Gold, racing manager for owner Hamdan Al Maktoum, believes the colt is ready to test his powers at the highest level. “He’s done very well so far and we’ll see whether he’s good enough. It’s the same situation for a lot of them and there is no better race to find out,” said Gold. “He’s potentially a very nice horse and a big, scopey individual who is very much one for next year. But he’s got plenty of talent and if he could run well in a Dewhurst it would be a bonus.”

The Andrew Balding-trained Spiritual Star was supplemented for the Dewhurst following a superb display in a course and distance maiden last month. Like Ektihaam, the juvenile officially has 22lb to find with Aidan O’Brien’s Power, winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and, most recently, the National Stakes at the Curragh. He’ll also carry The Scotsman nap today.

James Stafford, racing manager for Spiritual Star’s owners Thurloe Thoroughbreds, said: “It’s very exciting to have a runner in a race like this. It’s a big step into the unknown – if you like we’re going from one end of the swimming pool to the other. But at this time of year there aren’t that many options open to him and we’ll find out whether he’s a Group horse.

“After his last run I think he deserved to have a crack at it and he’s running at a track that he knows and on ground that we know he likes. We’re punching with the heavyweights but what ever happens, he’ll be a lovely horse for next year.”

Nicky Henderson does not spend too many afternoons at Newmarket but he has been known to grace the Rowley Mile winner’s enclosure after the Betfred Cesarewitch and returns today with two live chances.

Henderson, who is limbering up for his day job as a National Hunt trainer, has already taken this prestigious staying handicap on two occasions through dual-purpose performers Landing Light (2003) and Caracciola (2008).

Eddie Ahern was aboard the latter and he has been chosen for potential favourite Veiled, a winner at the course in May as well as on her most recent start in the Ascot Stakes. Old-timer Sentry Duty, who was sixth last year, is the mount of Johnny Murtagh.

“Things didn’t go according to plan last year [for Sentry Duty] but he finished his race really well and not surprisingly this has always been the plan,” said Henderson. “He unfortunately got caught up in a horrible melee at Goodwood but Kieren [Fallon] came back very positive. Stall one sounds good but you have to hold your position, which I’d hope Sentry Duty will be able to do as he’s not a slow horse.

“He wants fast ground so that will be lovely. I’d hoped Kieren would be able to ride him but he’s got to ride one for Luca [Cumani], so Johnny Murtagh seemed a good substitute to me. Veiled has had a bit of a break since Ascot as she’d been on the go all winter. I think the ground is all right for her – although you wouldn’t mind a drop of rain. Obviously she does stay very well and over two and a quarter miles at Newmarket you have got to stay. That is her strength.”

Another predominately jumping trainer David Pipe saw his father, Martin, strike in the Cesarewitch on several occasions in the not too distant past and his Pond House stables have three representatives.

Big Occasion was a winner for Aidan O’Brien last year, while Beyond appears the leading hope after making a winning debut for the stable at Sandown in July. Tasheba joins them in the hands of Kieran O’Neill.

Cosimo De Medici became a major contender after taking last month’s Cesarewitch Trial in comfortable fashion over the course and distance. “Everything is fine with him and he’s a horse who has done nothing but improve all season,” said trainer Hughie Morrison.

Tony Martin, successful with Leg Spinner in 2007, is always treated with respect by the bookmakers when he sends runners across the Irish Sea and saddles fairly new recruit Buy Back Bob. “Hopefully he’s going there with a chance. He ran a nice race over at Cork in the summer and we gave him a spin at Gowran the other day,” said Martin.

Caspar Netscher attempts to take Alan McCabe to an even greater level in the Emaar Middle Park Stakes after what has already been an unforgettable season. The juvenile has run eight times so far, but broke what was becoming a frustrating run of placed efforts at a high level when capturing the Gimcrack Stakes at York.

Newbury’s Mill Reef Stakes followed and now the final leap to Group One level awaits. McCabe, one of the promising younger trainers in the ranks, is aware Caspar Netscher has beaten most of his opponents in the Middle Park, although French raider Family One remains an unknown quantity. His biggest concern is that the ground on the Rowley Mile becomes too fast.

“He looks well, he’s been keeping to his old routine and there’s no difference now from when he won the Gimcrack and Mill Reef,” said McCabe.

At York yesterday first-season trainer Robert Eddery enjoyed a first winner at the track when Red Quartet came out on top in a competitive race for the TSG Nursery Stakes. The brother of former champion jockey Pat Eddery has now had five winners from a string of just ten horses since taking out a licence in April.

Red Quartet (28-1) got home by a length from the 5-2 favourite Radio Gaga, with Deepsand third and Jessie’s Spirit fourth.