by Steve Bailey

It may not be long before someone attaches trainer Jim Bolger’s name to the Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes (Eng-G1) permanently.

Group 1-placed Chabal could become Bolger’s fourth consecutive winner of England’s most prestigious race for two year olds as he takes on 14 challengers in the seven-furlong event on Saturday at Newmarket.

The Galileo (Ire) colt won his career debut in a seven-furlong maiden race on September 5 at Leopardstown and then came back just a week later to finish second in the Ladbrokes.com Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (Ire-G1) by a neck on September 12 at the Curragh.

Should Chabal make it back to the winner’s circle, he would join Teofilo (2006), New Approach (’07), and Intense Focus (’08) in Bolger’s stable of Dewhurst winners.

Chabal is the 7-to-4 ante-post favorite for the race, followed by Steinbeck, who won at first asking on May 13, at 4-to-1; Silver Grecian, winner of the Meydan Superlative Stakes (Eng-G2) on July 10 at Newmarket, at 7-to-1; and Xtension, who captured the Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes (Eng-G2) on July 29 at Goodwood.

It also was revealed on Thursday that High Twelve will have a new rider in the race as Kieren Fallon has been retained to ride the Montjeu (Ire) colt in the Dewhurst. Jimmy Fortune had the mount in his first three starts for owner Thomas Barr.

Steve Bailey is deputy news editor of Thoroughbred Times