SUN CHARIOT STAKES
Saturday 6th October, 3:15pm
Inspiral @ 10/11
Mqse De Sevigne @ 4/1
Meditate @ 7/1
Heredia @ 10/1
Coppice @ 10/1
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
RACE
The prestigious prizes come thick and fast at Newmarket at this time of the year, and the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes is an important one-mile target for fillies and mares aged three and older to further their reputations or to cement them. Named after the wartime Triple Crown winner owned by King George VI and one of the horses credited with nurturing the late Queen’s love of racing, victory has gone to a string of high quality fillies including Classic heroines Time Charter, Indian Skimmer, Attraction, Sky Lantern and Laurens; it also made the name of French trained Sahpresa who was at her most majestic in the East Anglian autumn air, converting the prizemoney into Euros three times in a row from 2009.
MARKET
With the finishing line on his legendary career in sight – for once the word ‘legendary’ is not misused – most eyes are on Frankie Dettori, who also goes into two scheduled mounts on Saturday on the 499 mark in terms of combined success on the Rowley Mile and July courses in Newmarket.
His big-race partner Inspiral, bred and owned by Cheveley Park Stud and trained by the Gosdens, was at her formidable best when running all over the talented three-year-old colt Big Rock at Deauville in August though it would not be unfair to say that she does also know how to under-perform. Talking of French racing, which is for obvious reasons in what you might call an Ace mood at the moment, the Andre Fabre-trained Mqse De Sevigne brings an intriguing challenge to the table having carried off two top-level prizes at Deauville, both times ridden by enfant prodige Alexis Pouchin, though there is a slight question mark about ground conditions for her.
Coolmore’s Meditate has not shone in quite the way that was anticipated this season so far, but was better in (retained) first-time blinkers last time. The form of Coppice and the supplemented Heredia is solid, but unlikely to be quite good enough, while Random Harvest and Saffie Osborne are a great double act but maybe not here.
CORNELIUS’ QUARTET
There’s a smashing card at Ascot where Korker (1-50) attempts to back up a striking success at Beverley; at 3-00, the admirable Commanche Falls had an apparent off day at The Curragh in August (though the form may actually be alright) but was back on track subsequently; in the Howden Challenge Cup (3-35), it would be madness not to shortlist Fresh whose thirteen races at the course have hardly ever elicited anything short of a terrific run for one’s money; and in the Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar (2-25) Dragon Leader looks quite a talent and may well win but the odds are cramped and I might take an each-way chance with the well-bred Works Of Art which has been shaping up with a degree of encouragement.
WINNER
The Sun Chariot is surely Inspiral’s to lose.
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