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Newmarket: Cesarewitch Handicap

Ireland looks to hold all the aces as they bid to continue their domination in Saturday’s Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket.

Racecourse : Newmarket.
Racecourse : Newmarket. Picture: Pat Healy Photography

Irish-trained runners have landed the prize in six of the last seven seasons and with the top in the betting following Thursday's declaration stage, those from across the Irish Sea will be hopeful of continuing the trend.

Connections of last year's winner Alphonse Le Grande who currently heads the betting, will be looking for a more straightforward success this time around. The six-year-old stayed on strongly to finish first past the post in last year's renewal before being disqualified by the whip committee for Jamie Powell's overuse of the stick. However, following a successful appeal, Alphonse Le Grande, who was at the time trained by Cathy O'Leary due to A J Martin being suspended, was reinstated at the winner.

Now officially back in the care of AJ Martin, Alphonse Le Grande will head to Newmarket's staying handicap 6lb higher this time around but there's no doubt that he looks to be coming to the boil at the right time after an eye-catching fifth-place finish behind subsequent Group 2 Park Hill winner and Group 1 Prix de Royallieu runner-up Santorini Star.

Charles Byrnes landed the prize in 2022 thanks to a commanding performance from Run For Oscar and this season he'll be solely represented by Reverend Hubert. Following a successful spell over hurdles, his seven-year-old son of Zoffany put his hat firmly into the ring with a facile eight-length victory in the recognised course and distance trial late last month and under a 4lb penalty, his claims are obvious for all to see with Silvestre de Sousa booked to do the steering.

Whilst the all-conquering Willie Mullins is better known for his exploits in the National Hunt sphere, his record in this staying handicap on the level is not to be sniffed at, with the Closutton-based maestro recording three straight victories between 2018-2020.

Mullins will saddle a trio of contenders this year, with both Hipop De Loire and Bunting towards the top of the betting. The former, who will be ridden by recent Cambridgeshire-winning rider Clifford Lee, will need to give 7lb all round now back in a handicap after finishing third in the Group 2 Doncaster Cup, while the latter steps back up in trip following a staying-on fifth in a premier Leopardstown handicap last month.

Andrew Balding's progressive Belgravian could only finish third behind Reverend Hubert in the trial, but he looks like the pick of the home contingent, with Beylerbeyi, Divine Comedy and Manxman others to note.


Racing and Sports

Newmarket (Rowley)

Saturday, 11th October 2025

5
ET

Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Gbbplus Race)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 114lbs Type: HCP
2 ¼ m TURF GOOD FIRM
5

(local)
GBP £175,000
2 ¼ m GOOD FIRM

Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Gbbplus Race)

Age: 3yo and up WT: 114lbs Type: HCP


FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 9. BEYLERBEYI (GB) 5yo G
INVINCIBLE SPIRIT (IRE) - GHERDAIYA (GB)
BILLY LOUGHNANE
IAN WILLIAMS
$8
123lbs
MIDTECH 2

Sales Information

2nd 4. DAWN RISING (IRE) 8yo G
GALILEO (IRE) - DEVOTED TO YOU (IRE)
OISIN MURPHY
JOSEPH O'BRIEN
$8.5
129lbs
JOHN P MCMANUS
3rd 6. BUNTING (FR) 5yo G
BATHYRHON (GER) - THAT'S CRAZY (IRE)
WILLIAM BUICK
WILLIE MULLINS
$6
127lbs
TONY BLOOM
4th 2. DIVINE COMEDY (IRE) 7yo M
LE HAVRE (IRE) - EPIC EMIRATES (GB)
KAIYA FRASER
HARRY EUSTACE
$29
131lbs

Sales Information

5th 16. REVEREND HUBERT (IRE) 7yo G
ZOFFANY (IRE) - BRIGHT SAPPHIRE (IRE)
SILVESTRE DE SOUSA
CHARLES BYRNES
$4.5
115lbs

Sales Information

6th 11. NDAAWI (GB) 5yo G
CRACKSMAN (GB) - MOUNT ELBRUS (GB)
CIEREN FALLON
GORDON ELLIOTT
$11
121lbs

Sales Information

7th 19. BELGRAVIAN (IRE) 3yo G
MAKE BELIEVE (GB) - MARIE CELESTE (IRE)
NICOLA CURRIE
ANDREW BALDING
$12
114lbs

Sales Information

8th 8. ALPHONSE LE GRANDE (IRE) 6yo G
SEA THE STARS (IRE) - DOLCE STREGA (IRE)
SEAMIE HEFFERNAN
A J MARTIN
$13
125lbs

Sales Information

9th 14. WINTER FOG (IRE) 11yo G
PAPAL BULL (GB) - BANPHRIONSA (IRE)
SEAN DYLAN BOWEN
WILLIE MULLINS
$23
117lbs

Sales Information

10th 5. THE SHUNTER (IRE) 12yo G
STOWAWAY (GB) - TORNADO LADY (IRE)
JAMES DOYLE
E MULLINS
$41
129lbs
11th 21. BASHFUL BOY (IRE) 9yo G
MAGICIAN (IRE) - BACHELIERE (USA)
AMIE WAUGH
D E PIPE
$81
111lbs

Sales Information

12th 1. HIPOP DE LOIRE (FR) 8yo G
AMERICAN POST (GB) - LOUVE ROSE (GB)
CLIFFORD LEE
WILLIE MULLINS
$15
138lbs

Sales Information

13th 18. POLE STAR (GB) 3yo C
TEOFILO (IRE) - LUNAR MARIA (GB)
JOE FANNING
CHARLIE JOHNSTON
$11
114lbs
14th 12. MORDOR (FR) 5yo G
ROARING LION (USA) - SECRETE (FR)
JAMIE SPENCER
GORDON ELLIOTT
$19
120lbs

Sales Information

15th 15. VAGUELY ROYAL (IRE) 5yo G
GALILEO (IRE) - DANILOVNA (IRE)
ANDREW BRESLIN
SYD HOSIE
$201
113lbs

Sales Information

16th 20. CAPRELO (GB) 4yo G
ULYSSES (IRE) - CAPRIOLLA (GB)
TYLER HEARD
H MORRISON
$34
114lbs

Sales Information

17th 10. FIREBLADE (GB) 4yo G
FRANKEL (GB) - RHADEGUNDA (GB)
SEAN LEVEY
DYLAN CUNHA
$19
122lbs

Sales Information

18th 3. BARNSO (GB) 4yo G
BELARDO (IRE) - HAYED (GB)
ROSSA RYAN
ALAN KING
$29
130lbs

Sales Information

19th 13. SEDDON (IRE) 12yo G
STOWAWAY (GB) - ANDREAS BENEFIT (IRE)
PATRICK MCGETTIGAN
J C MCCONNELL
$67
114lbs

Sales Information