G2 Royal Lodge S.

The unbeaten Defence Minister (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) has been supplemented by owners Wathnan Racing for Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury at a cost of £5,000. Last seen defying a penalty in decisive fashion at Haydock, Defence Minister is one of 19 horses in contention for the prestigious two-year-old contest as he tries to make it three wins from as many starts for his Qatari-born, Newmarket-based trainer Hamad Al-Jehani. G2 Gimcrack Stakes winner Cool Hoof Luke (GB) (Advertise {GB}) and Aidan O'Brien's G3 Round...

   Saturday's action features four Group 1s and four Group 2s across Newmarket and ParisLongchamp, with all ages and distances covered from the six furlongs of the G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. and G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. to the two and a half miles of the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran. It is the former pair of prizes that take centre stage, with so much at stake for the precocious stars of their generation. The onus is very much on KHK Racing's G1 Prix Morny winner Vandeek (GB) (Havana...

Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who finished last of eight after being struck into in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. at Doncaster on Saturday, will not race again this season and will return for a 3-year-old campaign. The Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned colt won the G3 Acomb S. at York in August and added the G2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket on Sept. 25. Harry Herbert, managing director for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said, "Unfortunately he was struck into and returned with a nasty gash just above his...

Progressive juvenile Masekela (Ire) (El Kabeir) will line up next in the Sept. 25 G2 Royal Lodge S. Mick and Janice Mariscotti's colt holds some of the best formlines of any 2-year-old colt this term, running fifth to subsequent G2 Futurity S. hero Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot before a short head second in the G2 Superlative S. to Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) on July 10. The latter stepped up to win the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. at...