Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes report and free video replay

Andrew Balding's son of Night Of Thunder won the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York on his second start in August but fluffed his lines in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last time.

That form looked good after Puerto Rico and Cape Orator franked the form in Longchamp last weekend and Gewan, only fourth on Town Moor, gave it an even more solid look after winning the Dewhurst by three quarters of a length.

Well positioned in a prominent position by Doyle, Gewan made a beeline for the stands' rail and hit the front coming out of the dip with his rivals in hot pursuit.

He pulled out plenty up the rising ground to seal the win, the better fancied Gstaad and Distant Storm chasing him home.

Paddy Power immediately went 14/1 from 50s about Gewan for the 2000 Guineas back on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket next May.

It was a second Dewhurst in four years for Balding, who won it with Chaldean in 2022, a horse who also won the Acomb (and Champagne Stakes) before winning at Newmarket.

He went onto win the 2000 Guineas and now the grey Gewan will bid to follow in his Classic-winning hoofprints.

Balding said: “That was really good. We were saying coming into the race that he was overpriced as his York performance was very good, and I think you have got to forgive him Doncaster.

"He had been working really well so we weren’t without a hope, but you have still got to come and do it and he was given a brilliant ride and he is a very good horse.

“The ground didn’t help at Doncaster, but I don’t think it was just the ground, for whatever reason he wasn’t at his best, but he was today.

“They (him and Chaldean) are very similar. The only thing he hasn’t done is win at Doncaster, but they have followed the exact same route.

“If you forgive him his run at Doncaster he was here with every chance. That Acomb form was rock solid. It is a relief, obviously, but his work at home suggested that he was going to play a part today.

“This is important as you need the top horses, and he is a top horse.”

'He's one for the 2000 Guineas'

Aidan O’Brien said of Gstaad: “Next year he will be older and stronger, but he ran a good race and you have to be very happy with him. I think the race worked out lovely for him.

“I think he would be one for an English or Irish 2000 Guineas.”

Charlie Appleby said of Distant Storm: “To be fair to this horse, if you want to do comparisons, being beaten in the Acomb, by the winner that day, you think do we give him one more run then put him away.

“We did that and he goes and wins and you are a little bit drawn into a Dewhurst on the back of that.

"Will just said he rode today like time will do him no harm. He will be given the winter to develop and strengthen.

"He said today, amongst those horses, he felt as though immaturity was coming out a bit.

"He has lost nothing in defeat. We will put him away for the winter and bring him out in the spring and decide whether to go for a Craven or have a racecourse gallop and come for the Guineas.

"He switched off lovely and the last twice and he has raced the right way around. I think he is a horse that will be in contention as a Guineas horse in the spring.”

More from Sporting Life

• Free bets
• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.