As the home of flat racing, Newmarket stages many influential races, including the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas in May. Five months after the opening Classics of the campaign, the focus switches to the cream of the two-year-old division.
Few two-year-old contests can match the Dewhurst Stakes when it comes to identifying future Classic stars. First run in 1875, each of the first four winners went on to win at least one Classic at age three. Fast forward to the modern era, and the 21st century roll of honour already features the names of Rock Of Gibraltar, Sir Percy, New Approach, Frankel, Dawn Approach, Churchill, Chaldean, and City Of Troy – Classic winners one and all.
Looking ahead to the 2025 edition of this £500,000 event, five of the nine confirmed runners hail from the yards of Aidan O’Brien or Charlie Appleby. Having landed eight of the past 10 editions between them, we look set for another classic clash between Coolmore and Godolphin’s number one trainers.
Buick Selects Storm from Appleby Trio
First successful with Pinatubo in 2019, Charlie Appleby won his third Dewhurst Stakes when saddling Shadow Of Light to victory in 2024. 12 months on, he sends the regally bred trio of Pacific Avenue, Saba Desert, and Distant Storm into battle.
Pacific Avenue won well on debut but met trouble in running when fourth in the Royal Lodge Stakes. Saba Desert bombed out in the National Stakes but previously claimed the Superlative Stakes in good style. William Buick overlooks both colts in favour of Distant Storm.
Successful in two of three starts, this Night Of Thunder colt narrowly defeated the highly regarded Constitution River first time out. He couldn’t build on that effort when third in the Acomb Stakes but bounced back with a win by almost five lengths in the Tattersalls Stakes over this track and trip in September.
This event was nominated in the aftermath of that win, with Appleby suggesting Distant Storm was up there with the best juveniles in the yard.
Record Breaking Win for O’Brien?
With eight wins, Aidan O’Brien shares the all-time Dewhurst Stakes record with John Porter and Frank Butters. One more win, and the Ballydoyle maestro will claim the record as his own.
Impressive Coventry Stakes winner Gstaad leads the O’Brien charge in 2025. Stepped up to Group 1 company following that Royal Ascot victory, Gstaad has twice tasted defeat. However, he could scarcely have come much closer – going down by a short neck in the Prix Morny and a head in the National Stakes. A repeat of either of those efforts may see him involved in the finish once again.
Italy joins Gstaad on the trip from County Tipperary to Newmarket. With only a maiden success to his name, he lacks the form of his stablemate but caught the eye when just under three lengths behind Gstaad in the National Stakes last time. There may be more to come from this beautifully bred sort.
Zavateri to Down the Big Guns
If Zavateri were trained by Charlie Appleby or Aidan O’Brien, he would probably start as the clear favourite. He is, after all, the highest rated runner in the field, and took his record to a perfect four from four when mastering Gstaad in the National Stakes.
Hailing from the Eve Johnson-Houghton yard, Zavateri was only the third choice in the market two days before the race. However, having already defeated eight Appleby or O’Brien-trained youngsters, connections have every reason to be optimistic.
Oxagon Best of the Rest
A trio of home hopes round out the field. Having landed the Dewhurst for the first and, so far, only time with Too Darn Hot in 2018, John Gosden relies on Oxagon this year. Sired by the mighty Frankel, who won the first of ten Group 1s in the 2010 Dewhurst, Oxagon has made an encouraging start to his career.
Oxagon (Frankel) sheds his maiden at the second time of asking under Luke Catton for John & Thady Gosden in the Chasemore Farm @BritishEBF Novice Stakes @Sandownpark 💥 pic.twitter.com/vMYHX2bZpg
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 30, 2025
An eight-length winner at Sandown in July, he finished second behind Puerto Rico in the Champagne Stakes last time. With Puerto Rico subsequently winning the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at the Arc meeting, the form looks solid.
Andrew Balding’s Gewan started favourite for the Champagne Stakes but could manage only fourth on the day. That leaves him with work to do, but he had previously looked smart when conquering Italy and Distant Storm in the Acomb Stakes. Karl Burke’s Alparslan has the lowest rating of the nine runners but has won his two starts to date with the minimum of fuss to earn this steep rise in class.
Will the prize fall to Godolphin or Coolmore yet again – or does the 2025 Dewhurst Stakes have a surprise in store? We will find out shortly after 3pm on Saturday.