Mawatheeq's green light for Champion bid

On the up: Mawatheeq will run in Group 1 company for the first time at Newmarket

13 April 2012

Mawatheeq is certain to run in Saturday's Group 1 Emirates Airline Champion Stakes at Newmarket after connections today paid the required £30,000 fee to supplement him for the race.

An impressive winner of the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot last month, Lambourn trainer Marcus Tregoning feels the four-year-old deserves to take his chance at the top level.

Tregoning said: "He's a very progressive horse and he needs a crack at a Group 1 now, especially since he's in very good order. I couldn't be more pleased with him."

Owned by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, Mawatheeq has won four of his seven career starts and is 6-1 for the 10-furlong race with Bet365. The market is headed by dual Oaks winner Sariska, but Tregoning feels that his colt has every chance of beating Michael Bell's filly.

"Sariska has had plenty of races this season and there's nothing like going into these contests with a fresh horse. The going will be fine, because it is due to stay dry, and Mawatheeq likes fast ground. We're pretty hopeful."

Meanwhile, Henry Cecil will wait until the last minute to decide if second favourite Twice Over will be in the line-up.

A six-length runner-up to New Approach in the race last year, the Khalid Abdullah-owned four-year-old is a 9-2 chance with Bet365.

But Cecil, who has won the race twice before, said: "A lot depends on the ground. He is in great form and I'm very happy with him, but he's also in the Group 3 Darley Stakes at Newmarket on Friday and he could run there instead. We'll see."

The 10-times champion trainer and winner of 23 British Classics revealed he is in no rush to see his 15-year-old son Jake follow in his footsteps.

Cecil said: "I'd hate him to start training. It's a very expensive business.

"I'd like him to be a landscape gardener, but he's a very good actor. He could be the next Richard Gere. I'd like that."

Champion Stakes (Bet365): 11-4 Sariska, 9-2 Twice Over, 5 Pipedreamer, 6 Mawatheeq, 7 Never On Sunday, 9 Doctor Fremantle, 12 Alpine Rose, Virtual, 14 Pressing, 20 Campanologist.

Mawatheeq's green light for Champion bid

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