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Persian King set for Autumn Stakes test

Andre Fabre makes his way to the parade ring at Chantilly.
Image: Andre Fabre - runs exciting prospect at Newmarket

Andre Fabre expects to find out if Persian King is as good as he has looked on his last two outings when he runs in the Masar Godolphin Autumn Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

Another offspring from exciting first-season sire Kingman, the youngster has won his races by an aggregate of 11 lengths, having chased home Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere third Anodor on his debut.

Fabre is following a tried and tested pattern in bringing a smart juvenile to Headqaurters, as he believes there is no test like it for a young horse anywhere else.

"We'd always been looking towards this race rather than the Lagardere," Fabre told Press Association Sport.

"It looks a good race, I expect to find out where we are with him after this.

"Anodor beat him on his debut and he ran well in the Lagardere, while mine was impressive last time out so we'll know where we are going after this race.

"I wouldn't like soft ground for him, so I hope there is not much rain. I will get excited about him if he wins this, but at the moment I'm just hopeful."

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Fabre went on: "Kingman has made a very good start to life as a stallion and this is all about giving him experience of Newmarket - two-year-olds learn so much there."

Surprisingly Aidan O'Brien has never won the Group Three contest, despite being represented most years.

This year he runs three, and with Ryan Moore in Australia to ride US Navy Flag in The Everest, Donnacha O'Brien partners apparent first string Magna Grecia, who won his only start to date in good style at Naas a fortnight ago.

"Magna Grecia won nicely at Naas, where he was green, and he's in good form," said the Ballydoyle handler.

"He has come forward from Naas, but will come forward more."

Circus Maximus, owned by the Niarchos family, improved on his debut fifth to win at Gowran, where he showed slightly wayward tendencies.

"He's the same. He was very green Gowran and has come forward from there, but we think he will come forward even more again," said O'Brien, who also runs Western Australia.

Another exciting contender is Karl Burke's Kadar, who took his only start to date at Haydock in the manner of a horse who could only improve.

In what has been a stellar season for Burke, chiefly through the exploits of star filly Laurens, the 700,000 euro purchase Kadar really could be anything.

However, the Spigot Lodge handler is slightly concerned about the ground.

"He's a lovely horse, but he wouldn't want the ground to be rattling quick," said Burke.

"We pulled him out at Newmarket a couple of weeks ago (Royal Lodge) because of the ground and we'll keep an eye on it, but he's a very exciting horse for the future.

"He might be by Scat Daddy, but he's out of a Sinndar mare and has a little bit of a knee action and he's a big, powerful galloper."

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