For the modern world the big races are the Dewhurst or the Champion Stakes though, as I probably point out every year, the more interesting one, both historically and as an intellectual challenge, is the Cesarewitch, in which thirty-two runners compete. This race requires a stayer, and I can think of none better than Dayia, fourth last year. The Campion Stakes looks to be a French internecine affair between Fuisse and Vision D'Etat, and I choose the former. As for the Dewhurst, though Henry Cecil's Frankel has attracted much hype, I think Dream Ahead has the better chance. So, all at Newmarket:
150: Red Jazz
225: Dream Ahead
300: Fuisse
340: Dayia
415: Abtasaamah
450: High Heeled
525: Patkai
The Racing Post is on form today. Alastair Down quotes Psalm 118, admitting that it is not often one can read extracts from the psalms in the paper. And, in the advertisements, always an intriguing read on a Saturday, a request for people to translate racing terms into Greek and Polish caught my eye. What an interesting task. When I find out the Greek for 'not fluent, pulled up', I may offer my services.
