Dewhurst Stakes Tips 2024: Epic renewal is on the cards at HQ

It's one of autumn's annual highlights. The Dewhurst Stakes traditionally features some of the season's leading two-year-old colts, and the winner (especially an authoritative one) is duly wrapped in cotton wool and thermals as favourite for the Guineas, Derby, SPOTY and Strictly. Well, you know what I mean. Look at just some of the past winners - names like Nijinsky, Dancing Brave, Brigadier Gerard, Nashwan, Sea The Stars, FRANKEL - the list is endless. Some of the greatest champions our sport has ever seen.

The 2024 renewal looks extremely promising. Only six are scheduled to face the starter, but there's more than a sprinkling of stardust. The action takes place at Newmarket on Saturday, October 12, it's the 15:00, and comfy winter quarters beckon for a horse with the equine world at his feet. Who will that be, pray tell?

Horse Racing Odds

Dewhurst Stakes Odds

15:00 - Shadow Of Light @ 11/4

Charlie Appleby saddles a *son of Dubawi here that's unbeaten in three starts, and took a Group 2 cosily on the course 91 days ago. As I write though he's not even in the top-two in the betting.

White-heat of competition time and then some. *Ancient Truth might be brilliant value then at around 7/2, but many decent judges can't escape from Aidan O'Brien's similarly undefeated The Lion In Winter (2 runs), and Appleby's Shadow Of Light.

The latter, my selection, has run four times so far. Ready Yarmouth maiden success was followed by an HQ novice stakes win; then a running on, just touched off second in York's Gimcrack and finally in my book the performance of a champion-in-waiting.

The 6f, G2 Middle Park on soft ground, crucially, was won emphatically a fortnight ago by the selection on this very course, and being by outstanding sire Lope De Vega the step up to 7f should be absolutely perfect at this stage of his development.

Second last time was another Aidan flyer in Whistlejacket, the G1-winning Prix Morny hero, and he was just brushed aside on the day by a long-looking 4l. It was visually and actually a display of great quality from 'Shadow,' and I can't wait to see him in action again on Saturday afternoon.

The Lion In Winter is being talked up as a potential Triple Crown candidate - and we'll know a lot more about that on Saturday afternoon soon after 15:00. His relative inexperience could be a factor, but there's no doubt he's going to be a tough nut to crack.

He took a Curragh maiden readily (the second that day has subsequently been beaten) before taking the G3 Acomb at York over this trip. Runner-up Wimbledon Hawkeye has since won the G2 Royal Lodge.

He's a Sea The Stars colt, out of a Lope De Vega mare, but is officially rated 3lb inferior to Appleby's Godolphin inmate; improvement however, after only two runs to date remember, could render those notions redundant by mid-afternoon.

Ancient Truth is another Godolphin-owned colt with James Doyle booked by Charlie to do the steering. Will Buick would I'm sure have had the choice of stablemates I'm guessing, and I doubt he had any sleepless nights plumping for Shadow Of Light.

'Truth' took the G2 Superlative here over 7f in July, but hasn't run for 91 days. Second that day - Seagulls Eleven, more of which below.

It's fancy prices the other runners, but there's two from Ballydoyle and that Hugo Palmer entry (Seagulls Eleven), who finished close-up also in the G1 National Stakes at the Curragh nearly a month ago. If the principals falter, rely upon Oisin Murphy to take full advantage.

Wonderful-looking race then, and it's Shadow Of Light for me to power clear from the Dip to the post.

If you're playing good luck - and above all else, enjoy!

Horse Racing Tips from Betfred Insights.