Godolphin's homebred Flying Honours (GB) heads a small field of four in Saturday's Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (G2) at Newmarket. The 1-mile contest, restricted to 2-year-old colts and geldings, offers a guaranteed fees-paid berth into the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 4-5.
Flying Honours (GB) has shown impressive form ahead of the Royal Lodge. Fourth in his debut with William Buick, the son of Sea The Stars (IRE) has won both his subsequent starts in impressive fashion under James Doyle. Sent off as the 2-5 favorite in his second start in The British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at Sandown, he showed a sparkling turn of foot to win by 9 ½ lengths over 7 furlongs. In his next start in the Longines Irish Champions Weekend 10-11 September EBF Stonehenge Stakes (Listed), he coped with the step up in trip and class by thrashing his five rivals to win by 5 ½-lengths over 1 mile.
Flying Honours is trained by Charlie Appleby, who has won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf three times, including last year with Modern Games (IRE).
The Foxes (IRE) disappointed connections in the Chesham Stakes (Listed) but won his maiden next time out over 7 furlongs at The Qatar Goodwood Festival. His trainer Andrew Balding believes that the step up in trip to 1 mile in Saturday's race will bring further improvement in the son of Churchill (IRE) and he is hopeful of a big run.
Balding said: “The Foxes won well at Goodwood. I had always thought that 7 furlongs was the bare minimum for him so we're looking forward to stepping him to 1 mile at Newmarket on Saturday. He's been in good form at home and we're looking forward to seeing how he gets on upped in class.”
Aidan O'Brien has won this race seven times, most recently in 2019 with Royal Dornoch (IRE), who beat subsequent QIPCO 2000 Guineas winner Kameko. O'Brien saddles Greenland (IRE) in this year's renewal. Greenland got off the mark in his fourth start when running out a 2 ¾-length winner at Roscommon in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Race.
Completing the line-up is the Charlie & Mark Johnston-trained Dubai Mile (IRE). A son of Roaring Lion, who won this race in 2017, Dubai Mile, like Flying Honours, finished fourth on debut before winning his next two starts. His most recent victory came at Kempton in the British Stallion Studs EBF Restricted Novice Stakes when making all to win by 4 lengths.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes winner to start in the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, which will be run at 1 mile at Keeneland. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 24 to receive the rewards.
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