Aidan O’Brien fears rain might spoil City of Troy’s Newmarket hopes as an overnight soaking threatens the red-hot favourite in the Dewhurst Stakes

• Trainer Aidan O’Brien has expressed concern over rain at the Newmarket course
• His red-hot Dewhurst Stakes favourite City of Troy could struggle on the soft turf
• O’Brien is chasing a record eighth win in the Dewhurst on Saturday

Aidan O’Brien has admitted it will be a concern for his red-hot Dewhurst Stakes favourite City of Troy if significant rain falls overnight at Newmarket.

The Ryan Moore-ridden colt produced a stunning performance when winning the Group Two Superlative Stakes on Newmarket’s July course, a run which means he is 5-2 favourite for next season’s 2,000 Guineas and 4-1 favourite for the Derby.

O’Brien pulled City of Troy out of the National Stakes at the Curragh last month with going officially described as good to yielding. The ground at Newmarket on Friday was described as soft before rain arrived at 5pm.

O’Brien, chasing a record eighth win in the Dewhurst, indicated that City of Troy’s presence in the line-up was not under threat but he added: ‘I walked the track today and I would have been happy with it but it depends how much rain we get. The less the better. It won’t be ideal but we are running out of options to run him.’

O’Brien has described the two-year-old as an unusual horse in that he has taken all his training and races so far easily in his stride.

Aidan O’Brien has admitted it will be a concern for his red-hot Dewhurst Stakes favourite City of Troy if significant rain falls overnight at Newmarket

O’Brien previously pulled City of Troy out of the National Stakes at the Curragh last month

He said: ‘He hasn’t got tired yet in anything we have asked him to do.’

Owen Burrows also would prefer a drier track for course winner Alyanaabi but Charlie Hills-trained Champagne Stakes winner Iberian is proven on soft ground.

Hills said: ‘He handled the ground well enough at Doncaster. Everything about him is top notch. Aidan’s horse looks very good but Iberian’s work has been excellent and as good as you’d see.’

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