Early October at Newmarket brings the Future Champions Festival, a two-day meeting running Friday to Saturday.
There are a number of important races for two-year-olds across the two days, none more so than the only two Group 1 races at the meeting, the Fillies Mile and the Dewhurst Stakes. The Fillies Mile is run on the Friday with the Dewhurst run in the Saturday. Both provide key look at next season’s Classic generation of runners.
There are a further seven Group races amongst the 14 on both cards but for many the highlight will be Saturday’s Cesarewitch. This 2m2f handicap is the second part of the Autumn Double, following from the earlier Cambridgeshire Handicap, though horses rarely compete in both these days.
Friday 10th October 2025
The festival begins with two Group 3 races for two-year-olds in the Cornwallis Stakes over 5f and the Oh So Sharp Stakes over 7f. Next is the Group 2 Challenge Stakes over 7f before the most valuable race of the day, the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile.
The Old Rowley Cup is race four on the card, a handicap over 1m4f. The day closes with the 7f Maiden Fillies’ Stakes and the Group 3 Pride Stakes over 1m2f.
- 1:15pm: Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes
Group 3, 5f, 2yo, £65,000 - 1:50pm: Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes
Group 3, 7f, 2yo, £65,000 - 2:25pm: Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes
Group 2, 7f, 3yo+, £125,000 - 2:57pm: bet365 Fillies’ Mile
Group 1, 1m, 2yo, £528,750 - 3:30pm: bet365 Old Rowley Cup Handicap
Class 2, 1m4f, 3yo, £100,000 - 4:10pm: Godolphin Under Starters Orders Maiden Fillies’ Stakes
Class 2, 7f, 2yo, £22,000 - 4:45pm: Newmarket Pony Academy Pride Stakes
Group 3, 1m2f, 3yo+, £85,000
Saturday 11th October 2025
Saturday opens with three Group 3 races in the 1m1f Darley Stakes, 1m2f Zetland Stakes and the 1m Autumn Stakes. The Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes follows, a 7f race for colts.
Race five on the card is the 2m2f Cesarewitch Handicap, with a nursery handicap over 7f and the Listed Boadicea Stakes for fillies and mares over 6f closing the day.
- 1:15pm: Too Darn Hot Darley Stakes
Group 3, 1m1f, 3yo+, £85,000 - 1:50pm: Night Of Thunder Zetland Stakes
Group 3, 1m2f, 2yo, £65,000 - 2:25pm: Emirates Autumn Stakes
Group 3, 1m, 2yo, £65,000 - 3:00pm: Darley Dewhurst Stakes
Group 1, 7f, 2yo, £500,000 - 3:40pm: Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap
Class 2, 2m2f, 3yo+, £175,000 - 4:15pm: Godolphin Flying Start Nursery Handicap
Class 3, 7f, 2yo, £22,000 - 4:50pm: Modern Games British EBF Boadicea Stakes
Listed, 6f, 3yo+, £55,000
