Mark Johnston looks to have at least two strings to his bow in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes on Saturday.

The Middleham trainer has three in the Newmarket Group One contest after yesterday's confirmation stage - Lucky Story, Pearl Of Love and Duke Of Venice, who has been supplemented at a cost of £15,000.

The latter, who runs in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed, earned his ticket for the weekend with a runaway maiden success at Sandown last month on his second racecourse appearance.

That was over a mile, and he had earlier finished third to King Carnival over six furlongs at Haydock.

He will be tackling the intermediate distance of seven furlongs for the first time at the weekend but the trip holds no worries as far as his trainer is concerned.

''He showed fantastic speed the way he burst out of the stalls and took the Sandown race by the scruff of the neck,'' said Johnston, who has enjoyed a fine season with his youngsters.

''Seven furlongs will be no problem at all and he might even be better at it.

''It doesn't affect plans for the other two, other than it might help Lucky Story to have plenty of pace in the race.

''But at the same time you would have to think over seven furlongs that Duke Of Venice will be a serious threat. He's an unknown quantity but it would be no surprise to anybody.

''Options are still open for Pearl Of Love. He has also been confirmed for the Gran Criterium in Milan at the weekend.

''Darryll Holland will ride Lucky Story and I presume Frankie Dettori will be on Duke Of Venice.''

A total of 23 remain in the race and the size of the field is something of a concern for Johnston.

''I would hate to see it be a 20-runner race, it spoils it,'' he said. ''There would be draw questions and so on and I would rather we didn't have that.''

Dangers abound in what is shaping up to be an excellent renewal, not least the Roger Charlton-trained Middle Park winner Three Valleys. Balmont, his immediate victim in that race, has been left in by Jeremy Noseda.

Marcus Tregoning's Snow Ridge is also likely to be very popular after his impressive victory in the Royal Lodge.

Aidan O'Brien is, as usual, well represented numerically with eight possibles, although he has yet to saddle a juvenile Group winner in Britain this season.

His squad for Saturday consists of Antonius Pius, Colossus, Grand Reward, Haydn, Newton, Old Deuteronomy, The Mighty Tiger and Troubadour.

There is further quality representation from Ireland in the shape of Dermot Weld's Grey Swallow, a ten-length winner of his sole start at Galway, although he could be rerouted to the Racing Post Trophy. Another interesting contender is Sir Michael Stoute's Imperial Stride, unbeaten in two starts and an easy winner of a Doncaster maiden on the latest of them.

l All the leading fancies stood their ground at yesterday's confirmation stage for the Tote Cesarewitch at Newmarket on Saturday.

The second leg of the 'autumn double' is traditionally one of the big betting handicaps of the season and ante-post punters will be relieved to see the likes of Distant Prospect, Shabernak, No Refuge, Inglis Drever, Direct Bearing and Numitas still in at this point.

Along with No Refuge, Inglis Drever and Numitas, Sir Mark Prescott had been due to saddle One Off in his attempt to land a £100,000 bonus following the victory of his Chivalry in the Tote-sponsored Cambridgeshire.

But the gelding, six times a winner this season, has been taken out by the Heath House handler.