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By Dylan Jenear ValueChecker

Paul Hanagan to Ride Native Khan in Racing Post Trophy
19/10/10

Native Khan, whose trainer Ed Dunlop decided to bypass a tilt at last weekend’s Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, is set to take his chance in Saturday’s Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster, and the Newmarket handler has secured the services of Champion Jockey-elect Paul Hanagan.

Native Khan
© racing-images.co.uk

The unbeaten colt, impressive on his introduction at Newmarket in July, confirmed himself a horse of real potential when landing a decent renewal of the Group 3 Solario Stakes at Sandown subsequently. The son of Azamour is generally a 6-1 chance to provide Dunlop with a third top-flight win of the season, following Snow Fairy’s English and Irish Oaks double.

However, standing between Native Khan and the preservation of his 100 per cent record are three Irish challengers, all of whom are highly exciting prospects. Mick Halford’s Casamento, who runs in the famous maroon and white silks of Sheikh Mohammed, is currently a top-priced 9-4 favourite for the Racing Post Trophy.

The Shamardal colt is clearly the one to beat, having split the classy duo Pathfork and Zoffany when beaten a head by the former in the National Stakes at The Curragh last month. Casamento has since run out the easy winner of the Beresford Stakes back at that track and looks a high-class horse in the making.

The other duo of the aforementioned triumvirate crossing the pond for a tilt at this race are Dunboyne Express (available at 7-2), unbeaten in two starts to date, and Seville (generally 5-1), easy winner of a Tipperary maiden last time out. The latter will be bidding to provide Aidan O’Brien with his fourth winner of this one-mile contest during the past decade.

Although his odds are pretty skinny, Casamento looks the one to beat, and the current 9-4 on offer may not look so bad come Saturday afternoon.

Recommendation: Casamento