Dubai: Mokarris can give Dubai connections back-to-back wins in the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes, the highlight of the Dubai Duty Free International Weekend at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday.

The competitive two-day fixture, which marks the renowned airport retailer’s final sponsorship of the 2016 -British flat racing season, is backed up by the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup (formerly known as the Arc Trial) and the Dubai International Airport World Trophy.

Last year Godolphin’s Ribchester won the Mill Reef en route to notable wins in the Group 2 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Group 1 Jacques Le Marois at Deauville, France.

The leading horses from the race are likely to become leading contenders for the Middle Park Stakes or the Dewhurst Stakes, two major Group 1 contests for two-year-olds staged at Newmarket in addition to the following year’s Classics.

The year’s race has attracted an impressive 70 entries including Intelligence Cross, Aidan O’Brien’s Group 2 scorer, the Mark Johnston-trained Rich And Famous, Global Applause representing Ed Dunlop.

Some memorable victories have been scored in the Mill Reef since it’s inaugural running in 1972, a race won by Mon Fils who would go on to win the Group 1 2,000 Guineas the following Spring.

The race’s propensity for producing subsequent Group 1 winners in recent years is best demonstrated by the success of the Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance-owned Awzaan, who won the 2009 running en route to capturing the following month’s Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

This year’s entertainment off the track promises to be equally exciting with International music producer, Mark Ronson, best-known for writing the Bruno Mars ‘Uptown Funk’ classic, taking to the ‘Party in the Paddock’ stage to perform a live DJ set in front of the Dubai Duty Free Grandstand after racing to entertain racegoers.

Mill Reef’s former trainer, Ian Balding is expected to be among the guests of Dubai Duty Free. Balding masterminded the 1971 Epsom Derby winner’s campaign which included victory in the Eclipse Stakes (Sandown), King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Ascot) and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Longchamp) that year and the Prix Ganay (Longchamp) and Coronation Cup (Epsom) as a four-year-old.

As title sponsor Dubai Duty Free will lend their name to nine races over the two-day fixture which, in addition to Saturday’s trio of Group races will feature the Listed Dubai Duty Free Cup on Friday.

Commenting on Dubai Duty Free’s sponsorship of British racing, Executive Vice-Chairman and CEO, Colm McLoughlin, said, “We are delighted to be back at the Newbury Racecourse for the twentieth running of the Dubai Duty Free International Weekend, which is a great conclusion to our 2016 racing season.

“Our support of horse racing continues to play a major role in our marketing strategy as it provides an important platform for us to showcase our brand and an opportunity to promote Dubai as a centre of excellence for business, sport and leisure.

“It also enables us to entertain valued business partners, including those from the retail travel industry, as well as British horse racing officials and many national and local broadcast and print media, in a relaxed atmosphere.”