HORSE RACING: Aidan O'Brien has high hopes that Tomahawk can provide him with a second successive victory in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes on Champions' Day at Newmarket.

The champion trainer saddled the first three home last year and once again holds a strong hand in tomorrow's Group One contest.

Seventeen juveniles remain in the seven-furlong event with O'Brien being responsible for four of them.

Tomahawk, a good second to Oasis Dream in the Middle Park Stakes could be the pick, with Marino Marini, Ontario and Great Pyramid, a full-brother to last year's winner Rock Of Gibraltar, completing the Ballydoyle team.

Referring to Tomahawk, O'Brien said: "He won his maiden very well then we took him to Ascot and we thought he was a banker but he was very green and he got caught on the line on the fast ground.

"He was very sick after that but we were delighted with him in the Middle Park and we've always thought he was a very good horse."

Connections of Trade Fair and Burning Sun are "very hopeful" of a big-race double. Sagitta 2,000 Guineas favourite Trade Fair represents Khalid Abdullah in the Dewhurst Stakes while the leading owner-breeder runs Burning Sun in the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes.

Teddy Beckett, the owner's racing manager, said: "They are both in good form. They've both had good preparations and we are very happy and very hopeful." Trade Fair is William Hill's 8 to 1 market leader for the Newmarket Classic after spread-eagling a field of maidens at Newbury last month. The going at Newmarket is currently described as good to soft.

Governor Brown and Queen Elizabeth's Desert Star, first and third in a York maiden last month, renew rivalry. Both have scored impressive victories at Newmarket since they met on the Knavesmire.

Kieren Fallon takes the ride on Desert Star with Pat Eddery riding Michael Stoute's other runner Desert Lord.

John Gosden will also have two runners with Jimmy Fortune riding Marching Band and Richard Hills on Al Jadeed.

Godolphin will mount a three-pronged attack on the Champion Stakes as the Dubai operation bids to win the Group One contest for the first time.

Frankie Dettori has opted to ride Noverre in the 10-furlong highlight of Champions' Day with Jamie Spencer renewing his association with Moon Ballad, whom he partnered to an impressive victory in the Group Three Select Stakes at Goodwood last month, while Kevin Darley takes the ride on Equerry.

Henry Cecil, who has won this prestigious contest in the past with Indian Skimmer in 1988 and with Bosra Sham eight years later, trains Burning Sun and the master of Warren Place will be bidding to land his first success of the season at the highest level.

Sholokhov, who has acted mainly as pacemaker for Hawk Wing this season, is O'Brien's only challenger.

Irish St Leger runner-up Pugin has suffered a slight setback in his build-up to next month's Melbourne Cup. Godolphin's four-year-old has had his hind leg poulticed after he knocked it on Wednesday afternoon, the injury is nuisance value in the lead-up to the big race.

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Marienbard has been retired, it was announced on the Godolphin website yesterday.

The five-year-old will stand at East Stud in Japan following his victory over the Derby winners Sulamani and High Chaparral at Longchamp earlier this month.

Marienbard, a son of Caerleon reached his peak this year, achieving three consecutive Group One wins which culminated in his famous Arc triumph.

He had previously recorded two impressive successes in German Group Ones, the WGZ Bank-Deutschlandpreis and the Grosser Preis von Baden, in which he recorded a smooth victory over Salve Regina.

His trainer Saeed bin Suroor told www.godolphin.com: "Marienbard was a great racehorse. He improved a lot this year and has been very brave in his races.

"He was the impressive winner of four races this year and we are going to miss him. He beat the best horses in the Arc and he is the best of the best now.

"Marienbard has a very good temperament and was easy to train, always relaxed. This year he was a real professional horse, trying to give his best all the time."

Marienbard started his career with Michael Jarvis and joined Godolphin after his three-year-old campaign.

The following season he returned from wintering in Dubai to win the Yorkshire Cup and he also scored on his reappearance this year when he landed the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket.

Marienbard won eight of his 17 starts for £1,181,425 in prize money.