Familiar faces set to return as new stars hope to emerge

Two of Godolphin’s Breeders’ Cup heroes from 2022 are on course to return to the track over the coming days, with Cody’s Wish and Mischief Magic kicking off their campaigns on a mammoth week of racing action.

Cody’s Wish produced one of the stories of last year with his emotional victory in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. The five-year-old, who also captured the Forego Stakes, will be looking to maintain his perfect record at Churchill Downs in the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Fellow G1 winner Matareya could join Cody’s Wish on Kentucky Derby Day, with last year’s Acorn Stakes pointing towards the G1 Derby City Distaff.

Wet Paint and Pretty Mischievous will be hoping to provide Godolphin with a first victory in the G1 Kentucky Oaks at the same course 24 hours earlier. Both fillies look to hold leading chances in the Classic, having notched impressive wins in trials.

Mischief Magic posted a remarkable last-to-first success in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and the Exceed And Excel colt will be aiming to secure his Royal Ascot spot when he tackles a G3 trial for the Commonwealth Cup on Wednesday.

Only a nose denied Silver Knott in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and the dual G3 winner will form a two-pronged challenge for Saturday’s G1 2,000 Guineas alongside the unbeaten Noble Style, who readily took York’s Gimcrack Stakes last season.

A short-head separated Mawj and Dream Of Love at Meydan earlier in the year and the duo look set to re-oppose in Sunday’s G1 1,000 Guineas, with Fairy Cross among the confirmations for the fillies’ Classic as well.

Newmarket’s Guineas Festival could also feature a raft of older stars, with Yibir, Native Trail, Hurricane Lane, Adayar and With The Moonlight all holding entries over the three-day fixture.

The Classic generation is set to be represented in Japan with Cruzeiro do Sul, a colt from the first crop of Champion Sprinter/Miler Fine Needle, nominated for Sunday’s G1 NHK Mile Cup.