Qatar Bloodstock Jockey Club Stakes Preview & Betting Tips

Today’s supporting card at Newmarket is headed by one of the classiest renewals of the 1m 4f Jockey Club Stakes seen in recent memory.

French challenger Dunaden ended last season with victories in the Emirates Melbourne Cup and Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase, amassing over £3 million prize money in the process.

Johnny Murtagh's mount has the Ascot Gold Cup as an early target ( 10/1 with Coral ), and may find Saturday's trip a little on the sharp side against proven middle distance opposition.

Impressive St Leger winner Masked Marvel is sure to prove a major force this season, as is Sir Michael Stoute's highly regarded Fiorente, who will receive a handy 5lb from both Dunaden and Masked Marvel.

With only four runs to date, the son of Monsun can only improve on what he has achieved so far, and is likely to be a leading player in Europes top middle distace races as the season develops.

While top stayer Blue Bajan could experience things happening too quickly, Al Kazeem, Quest For Peace and Frankie Dettori's mount Sadeek's Song are all capable of running big races, the horse to beat is probably another French challenger in the shape of Meandre.

Maxime Guyon's mount did little wrong as a three-year-old, ending with a fine sixth behind Danedream in the Qatar Prix De L'Arc De Triomphe at Longchamp.

An impressive winner of the Grand Prix De Paris on good to soft ground last July, Andre Fabre's charge looks to have ideal conditions and the 9/4 available with Stan James is a fair indication of the grey colts chance.

Whatever the result of Saturday's Group 2 contest, the race is sure to have an important bearing on many of the top middle distance contests that lie ahead in the coming months.