Godolphin going all-out to capture Champion Stakes

GODOLPHIN have confirmed their determination to capture Saturday’s Emirates Airline Champion Stakes by supplementing Naheef for the Group One showpiece at a cost of £24,000.

The boys in blue already had leading fancies Doyen and Refuse To Bend in the Newmarket feature until adding the five-year-old to the list at yesterday’s confirmation stage.

Bookmakers quote Naheef as the complete outsider at a best-priced 150-1 for the 10-furlong showpiece on Champions’ Day as he is likely to have a pacemaking role for his two shorter-priced stablemates.

Doyen, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes winner, is a general 4-1 second favourite to return to form following his failure in the Irish Champion Stakes.

Refuse To Bend, successful in the Queen Anne Stakes and Coral-Eclipse, is 8-1.

Owner Hamdan Al Maktoum could have two runners in the shape of 2000 Guineas winner Haafhd, trained by Barry Hills, and Marcus Tregoning’s seven-year-old Mubtaker.

A total of 14 horses remain in the £350,000 contest, headed by ante-post favourite Azamour.

John Oxx’s charge is one of two Irish-trained horses left in, the other being Mingun from Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stable.

Emirates Airline Champion Stakes betting:

Cashmans: 5-2 Azamour, 9-2 Doyen, 6-1 Lucky Story, 7-1 Mister Monet, 10-1 Refuse To Bend, 16-1 Norse Dancer.

Ladbrokes: 9-4 Azamour, 4-1 Doyen, 9-2 Lucky Story, 6-1 Mister Monet, 7-1 Haafhd, 8-1 Refuse To Bend, 14-1 Norse Dancer, Mubtaker, 20-1 Bar.