Take the Rising Mountain Road to Ces glory

This weekend, Newmarket hosts a two-day high-class racing festival beginning on Friday. The Future Champions Festival kicks off with the Group One Fillies’ Mile at 2:57pm, which is likely to see the unbeaten Godolphin filly Musical Times start at very short odds. The main event on Saturday is the historic Cesarewitch Handicap, with the favorite being Beylerbeyi.

Beylerbeyi, last year's winner, is set to defend his title and could face stiff competition. Caballo De Mer, who beat Scandinavia in the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp, has also shown impressive form recently, making him a strong contender. However, Ian Williams’ six-year-old, Mountain Road, won a two-mile handicap at Thirsk in May and has since been performing well, finishing third at Ascot’s Shergar Cup meeting and second in the Ebor Festival.

He has been given a four-pound weight rise for his next race, which might make him a competitive contender at 14/1.

Another horse to watch is Dawn Rising, ridden by Joseph O’Brien. This horse finished second to Beylerbeyi in the same race last season and will be starting at the same weight as previously. Despite his recent form, he has shortened to 8/1, indicating that this race has been a target for a while. Two-year-old prospects Darkness Falls, ridden by Ryan Moore, and Desert Castle, ridden by Charlie Appleby, will also be competing in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes, with Desert Castle being the favorite.

BREACHER, who finished third behind Desert Castle at Doncaster, could use this as an opportunity to improve his form when he races in the Group Three Autumn Stakes.