Ante-post favourite Limato heads 31 acceptors for the £350,000 Group One Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday, May 14.

Trained by Henry Candy, the four-year-old was an impressive three and a half-length winner of the Group Two Park Stakes at Doncaster in September. He is yet to run over a mile.

Last year’s neck runner-up Toormore (Richard Hannon) proved he is as good as ever on his seasonal debut with a gutsy victory over Dutch Connection in the Group Two bet365 Mile at Sandown Park on April 22.

Lambourn trainer Charlie Hills is hoping Dutch Connection can reverse the form at Newbury. The four-year-old landed the Group Three Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot last year and was just touched off by Territories in the Group One Prix Jean Prat over a mile.

Hills said: “Dutch Connection has come out of Sandown very well and will now go to Newbury.

“I think he is up to that level and quicker ground will suit because he has plenty of speed. The horse who beat him at Sandown was second last year when arguably unlucky.

“Dutch Connection has obviously done his winning at places like Ascot so the straight track will suit. All being well, I think we have got a good chance.”

Other high-profile confirmations include Group Two Joel Stakes scorer Time Test (Roger Charlton, pictured) and Kodi Bear (Clive Cox), who captured the Group Two Celebration Mile impressively at Goodwood last season.

Group One scorers Amazing Maria (David O’Meara) and Arabian Queen (David Elsworth) are among four mares still engaged. The pair are joined by Euro Charline (Marco Botti), runner-up in the Group One Dubai Turf last time out, and French challenger Maimara (Mikel Delzangles).

Mahsoob (John Gosden) is likely to drop back in trip after winning the Group Three Earl Of Sefton Stakes over nine furlongs at Newmarket, while Home Of The Brave (Hugo Palmer) is set to go up in trip after an impressive Listed success over seven furlongs at Leicester on April 23.

There are five Irish-trained entries going forward, including last year’s Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up Endless Drama (Ger Lyons) and four from the powerful stable of Aidan O’Brien – Cougar Mountain, Dick Whittington, Sir Issac Newton and The Happy Prince.

The five-day confirmation stage for the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes is on Monday, May 9, when supplementary entries can also be made at a cost of £16,000.

The Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes

Group 1, British Champions Series, £350,000 total prize fund. 3.55pm, Newbury, Saturday, May 14, 2016. For 4yo+, one mile (straight course). Weights: colts & geldings 9st; fillies 8st 11lb. Entries closed March 29, entries revealed March 30 (41 entries), scratchings deadline April 26 (31 go forward), five-day confirmation & £16,000 supplementary entry stage May 9, final declaration stage 10.00am, May 12.

 

Horse	Age	Owner	Trainer
ADAAY (IRE)	4	Hamdan Al Maktoum	William Haggas
AROD (IRE)	5	Qatar Racing Limited	Peter Chapple-Hyam
BARCHAN (USA)	4	Godolphin	Roger Varian
BELARDO (IRE)	4	Godolphin & Prince A A Faisal	Roger Varian
BRETON ROCK (IRE)	6	John Cook	David Simcock
CELESTIAL PATH (IRE)	4	Gordon Woodall & Prof Caroline Tisdall	Sir Mark Prescott Bt
COUGAR MOUNTAIN (IRE)	5	Michael Tabor/Derrick Smith/Sue Magnier/Mrs O’Brien	Aidan O’Brien IRE
COUNTERMEASURE	4	Khalid Abdullah	Roger Charlton
DARK EMERALD (IRE)	6	K Rhatigan	Brendan Powell
DICK WHITTINGTON (IRE)	4	Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier	Aidan O’Brien IRE
DUTCH CONNECTION	4	Mrs Susan Roy and Cheveley Park Stud	Charles Hills
ENDLESS DRAMA (IRE)	4	Sheikh Khalifa,Sheikh Suhaim/QRL	Ger Lyons IRE
ESTIDHKAAR (IRE)	4	Hamdan Al Maktoum	Richard Hannon
GABRIAL (IRE)	7	Dr Marwan Koukash	Richard Fahey
GM HOPKINS	5	Robin Geffen	John Gosden
HOME OF THE BRAVE (IRE)	4	Flemington Bloodstock Partnership	Hugo Palmer
JOHNNY BARNES (IRE)	4	Bermuda Thoroughbred Racing Limited	John Gosden
KODI BEAR (IRE)	4	Olive Shaw	Clive Cox
LIMATO (IRE)	4	Paul Jacobs	Henry Candy
MAHSOOB	5	Hamdan Al Maktoum	John Gosden
MOHEET (IRE)	4	Al Shaqab Racing	Richard Hannon
MONDIALISTE (IRE)	6	Geoff & Sandra Turnbull	David O’Meara
MUTAKAYYEF	5	Hamdan Al Maktoum	William Haggas
SIR ISAAC NEWTON	4	Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor	Aidan O’Brien IRE
THE HAPPY PRINCE (IRE)	4	Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith	Aidan O’Brien IRE
TIME TEST	4	Khalid Abdullah	Roger Charlton
TOORMORE (IRE)	5	Godolphin	Richard Hannon
AMAZING MARIA (IRE)	5	Sir Robert Ogden	David O’Meara
ARABIAN QUEEN (IRE)	4	Jeff Smith	David Elsworth
EURO CHARLINE	5	Team Valor	Marco Botti
MAIMARA (FR)	4	A Louis-Dreyfus	Mikel Delzangles FR

 

31 entries remain following April 26 scratchings deadline

5 Irish-trained

1 French-trained