THERE are 40 entries remaining for the £75,000 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes following last week’s scratching stage, headed by Mehmas.

Richard Hannon’s runner (pictured) has already landed two Group Two six-furlong contests this season – Newmarket’s July Stakes and Goodwood’s Richmond Stakes, and only found Caravaggio too good when runner-up in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Ireland’s champion Flat trainer Aidan O’Brien, all-conquering with his juveniles in 2016 and responsible for the unbeaten Caravaggio, has four entries going forward – Phoenix Stakes runner-up Courage Under Fire, Round Tower Stakes victor Intelligence Cross, Leo Minor and Sportsmanship.

Another Irish trainer, Darren Bunyan, is hoping to saddle stable star Hit The Bid. The son of Exceed And Excel made headlines last time out when belying his 50/1 starting price to win the Curragh Stakes over five furlongs at the Curragh on August 20.

That was his first start since finishing seventh behind Caravaggio in the Listed Marble Hill Stakes over the same course and distance in May, after which he had a wind operation.

Bunyan said: “At the moment, the plan is to come over for the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes.

“Hit The Bid came out of the Curragh Stakes very well and is fresh in himself.

“He was no more than 90 per cent fit going into it, so naturally we were very pleased with his performance. We feel he deserves to step up to a race like the Mill Reef on the back of that.

“I don’t see six furlongs being an issue for him. Five or six furlongs is fine and another race I had my eye on was the Flying Childers at Doncaster. The biggest problem for him is the ground – even the last day Leigh [Roche] said he changed his legs five or six times as he wasn’t enjoying it. He wants it quick and hasn’t really had those conditions yet.

“It is definitely all ahead of him. He ‘s 16ft 1ins and a big horse. He will have a maximum of one more run this season and then we will put him away for next year.”

Trainer Bryan Smart has confirmed that the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes is the target for Alicante Dream, an impressive winner in Listed company at Ripon on Bank Holiday Monday, while fellow Listed scorers Mokarris (Simon Crisford) and Global Applause (Ed Dunlop) were second and fourth respectively in the Gimcrack Stakes at York.

Other contenders going forward include Seven Heavens (John Gosden), a son of Frankel who made it two wins from as many starts when successful at Goodwood recently, the filly Nations Alexander (Hannon), successful in the Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket, and Yalta (Mark Johnston), who landed the Molecomb Stakes.

The Dubai Duty Free International Weekend takes place on Friday, September 16 and Saturday, September 17.