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Autumn Stakes or Dewhurst the options for Rock Montreal

By Racing TV

Last Updated: Wed 23 Sep 2026

Having lost little in defeat when narrowly denied at Doncaster earlier this month, Rock Montreal could be poised to further his education at Newmarket on Future Champions Day.

The Godolphin colt created a taking impression at Yarmouth on debut and was attempting to follow in the footsteps of stablemate Avicenna by landing the Listed Flying Scotsman on Town Moor when beaten a head by Andrew Balding’s Forbidden Fire.

It is a race that has seen the form already franked by Charlie Appleby’s Nabati, who was third in South Yorkshire and since landed the Group Two Mill Reef at Newbury and Varian feels his exciting youngster did nothing but enhance his reputation.

Varian said: “I was very happy with Rock Montreal and while we would prefer to win, I don’t think he did anything wrong, and importantly he is learning on the job.

“I thought it was a good run – and almost perfect. He showed himself to be a good horse, didn’t dent his reputation and he’s going to keep improving.”

Varian is now looking at two possible options on home Rowley Mile soil next month for a third and final outing of Rock Montreal’s two-year-old campaign, with both a step up in trip for the Autumn Stakes or a leap to the highest level for the Dewhurst both identified as possibilities.

“I’d like to run him again and we will keep options open,” continued Varian. “I will speak with the owners and the Godolphin team but it would likely to be up to a mile for the Autumn Stakes and we’ll keep him in the Dewhurst that weekend as well as I don’t think that is being too ambitious.

“I think he’ll improve a lot for that race at Doncaster. He’s done no fast work since the Flying Scotsman but he does look really good and I’m sure he will have learned a lot. He’s also shaping a bit like a miler, he did first time up and he also did at Doncaster the other day.

“The two races that stand out in the programme are the Autumn Stakes and Dewhurst and we will keep an open mind and hope the next fortnight is good to him.”

Another on the up at Carlburg Stables is Chymbulak, the full-brother to Varian’s former crack miler Charyn, who opened his account at the third attempt at Sandown last week.

In a similar mould to his illustrious sibling who landed a Group One treble at four, the son of Dark Angel has been backed to keep improving with experience, with his handler contemplating one final start for 2026 before hopefully giving connections plenty to look forward to next season.

“He was great and he’s run some nice races and is a slow learner,” explained Varian. “He’s not the finished article and will keep improving with every start. I thought he was very good at Sandown in quite tough conditions and showed a good attitude.

“He was in a bit of a fight but crossing the line he pricked his ears which suggests there is a bit in the tank.

“We might give him another run, we’ll see how he is in the next week or two, but he might have one more run in October somewhere but more importantly he’s a nice horse for next year.”

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