Gewan surprises big names with impressive Dewhurst success

Gewan caused a 25-1 shock in what looked a top-class renewal of the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

Impressive in winning the Acomb Stakes at York, the Andrew Balding-trained grey then disappointed in soft ground behind subsequent Group One winner Puerto Rico in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.

James Doyle was always in the front rank on the Night Of Thunder colt and injected significant pace into the race three furlongs out.

With Gstaad, Distant Storm and the previously unbeaten Zavateri all suddenly three lengths in arrears, Gewan just had to keep going and he did so in style, beating Aidan O’Brien’s 7-4 favourite Gstaad, who had been keen early on, by three-quarters of a length, with Distant Storm third and Zavateri fourth.

Balding won the Dewhurst in 2022 with Chaldean, who also took the Acomb and famously went on to win the 2000 Guineas the following season.