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Dawn Approach leads a field of 13 declared for the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.
The Jim Bolger-trained colt, who has been drawn in stall six, will be defending a six-race unbeaten record in the colts' Classic, having rounded off his juvenile campaign with victory in the Dewhurst in October. Dawn Approach will be joined by stablemate Leitir Mor, who was second in the Dewhurst.
Chief market opposition comes in the shape of Richard Hannon's Toronado, also unbeaten and most impressive in winning the Craven Stakes on his reappearance. He has been allotted stall 12. Like Bolger, Hannon has a second string to his bow in the shape of Racing Post Trophy runner-up Van Der Neer.
Strong ante-post support in recent days has been for the Richard Fahey-trained Free Handicap victor Garswood and he also features, as does the Aidan O'Brien trio of Cristoforo Colombo, who will sport cheekpieces in the hands of Joseph O'Brien, Mars (Seamie Heffernan) and George Vancouver (Colm O'Donoghue).
Newmarket-based Italian Marco Botti is represented by Moohaajim, a crack juvenile who ran creditably when third on his return in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury.
Brian Meehan's Correspondent will be ridden by Paul Hanagan, while Sir Henry Cecil runs the maiden Kyllachy Rise, the mount of Tom Queally, and Kevin Ryan calls on Glory Awaits.
The field is completed by a sixth Irish challenger in Niall Moran's Dont Bother Me.