PAUL HANAGAN can push his biggest-ever prize money haul for the season through the £3 million mark at Newmarket this afternoon by notching his fourth Group 1 success in what has proved a golden year for the former Malton-based jockey.

Hanagan, in his third year as retained rider to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, has already won this year’s Epsom Oaks and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Taghrooda, and also the Coral-Eclipse Stakes on Mukhadram.

Today, Estidhkaar can add his name to the Group 1 roll of honour by carrying Hanagan to victory in the £451,000 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes.

The Richard Hannon-trained colt has won his last three races, which include the Superlative Stakes on the July Course at Newmarket, and Doncaster’s Champagne Stakes on his latest outing last month, both Group 2 affairs.

The strapping colt is now ready to step up to the top level and is napped to dispose of his six rivals in this signature juvenile event over seven furlongs.

It promises to be a wonderful afternoon for Hannon. He can also win the vision.ae Middle Park Stakes with Ivawood, the mount of Richard Hughes, who is unbeaten in three starts.

He was hugely impressive in the July Stakes and the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, both Group 2 events. A first success at Group 1 level now awaits Ivawood, whose rivals include the Hanagan-ridden Muhaarar, winner of York’s Gimcrack Stakes in August.

Mutakayyef can be another winner for Hanagan on this all-important day in the £65,000 Group 3 Darley Stakes.

The William Haggas-trained three-year-old was a seven lengths winner at Sandown on his penultimate start and went down fighting in second to Cannock Chase in Group 3 company at Royal Ascot in mid-June. He has to overcome a four-month absence today, but his shrewd trainer would hardly be running him here if he had any doubts that he would unable to do himself justice on such a big stage.

Haggas can also score with Squats (2.25), who was beaten only inches in the Firth of Clyde Stakes at Ayr last month, while Edward Lynam’s Agnes Stewart (3.25), a smart winner of last month’s May Hill Stakes at Doncaster, has Group 1 glory in her sights in the Dubai Fillies’ Mile.

Redcar’s eight-race programme pales noticeably against Newmarket’s Future Champions card, but Norton jockey Tony Hamilton has good prospects of enjoying a lucrative afternoon at the seaside venue.

Hamilton teams up with Ventura Shadow in the IJF John Oaksey Memorial Claiming Stakes and Richard Fahey’s juvenile should have strong claims in this modest contest. Scrafton will also have Hamilton’s assistance in the Sam Hall Memorial Handicap.

Trained at Middleham by James Bethell, Scrafton has been in excellent form lately, winning at Catterick and Newcastle and going down by only a short head at Ayr on his latest start last month.

Jake Butterfield won on Polar Forest at Nottingham last week and he gets the chance of riding Richard Guest’s gelding again in the Join The Racing UK Club Handicap (division two).


Selections

Newmarket today
1.50 Fruity, 2.25 Squats, 2.55 Ivawood, 3.25 Agnes Stewart, 4.00 Estidhkaar (NAP), 4.35 Thawaany, 5.10 Mutakayyef.

Redcar today
1.55 Tawaasheeh, 2.30 Ventura Shadow, 3.00 Properus, 3.30 Scrafton, 4.05 Manatee Bay, 4.40 Polar Forest, 5.15 Advance, 5.45 Exclusive Waters.

Today’s other meetings
Cheltenham, Haydock and Wolverhampton.

Tomorrow’s meetings
Ascot, Catterick, Kelso amd Wolverhampton.