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A competitive field lineup for the 1m Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, including multiple Group 1 winner Inspiral and French raider Mqse De Sevigne.
John Gosden was successful in the race in 2020 with Nazeef and the Gosden training duo will be represented by Inspiral in this year's renewal. Successful over course and distance in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile as a juvenile, the now four-year-old has enjoyed mixed fortunes in her three starts this season. A narrow second behind Triple Time in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on seasonal reappearance, Inspiral really struggled on the soft going at Glorious Goodwood in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes and trailed in last of five behind Paddington. A return to quicker ground (good to soft) at Deauville saw the filly complete back-to-back victories in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois in mid-August – the first filly to do so since Miesque in 1988. Her credentials for the race are solid and it appears the ground will be suitable with an expected reading of 'good'.
André Fabre will be attempting to win the Sun Chariot for the second time, having been successful with fellow Rothschild-owned Esoterique in 2015. Mqse De Sevigne has been a real revelation for the yard in the last few months, showing considerable improvement from her reappearance second in the Group 3 Priz Allez France at Longchamp in late April. She was dropped back to a mile for the first time since a juvenile when winning the Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville and returned to ten furlongs for a Group 1 double in the Prix Jean Romanet three weeks later. Although the daughter of Siyoni now holds a top-level victory over a mile, her breeding would suggest that ten furlongs is ideal, and the French raider could find herself lacking for speed against a pure miler like Inspiral.
At the current prices (10/1), Richard Hannon's Heredia makes plenty of appeal stepping up into Group 1 company for the first time. Winner of the Sandringham Stakes (Handicap) over a mile at Royal Ascot in 2022, she was subsequently campaigned over a shorter distance and enjoyed the return to her clearly favoured conditions when taking the Listed Dick Hern Stakes in impressive fashion in mid-August. The daughter of Dark Angel followed up with a narrow win in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes at Sandown Park, and although she has plenty to find on ratings with Inspiral, Heredia is capable of a big effort if either of the top two disappoints.
The Gosden team also field Coppice, the beautifully bred full sister to sprinting stallion Calyx. Winner of the mile Sandringham Stakes (Handicap) at Royal Ascot this year, the three-year-old filly has struggled to make the transition to Group company in the past, finishing well-beaten behind Heredia in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes. She bounced back to form over course and distance in the Listed Rosemary Stakes a week ago and backs up quickly with conditions sure to suit.
Aidan O'Brien brings over Meditate from Ireland, who will benefit (like Coppice) from a three-pound three-year-old allowance. The blinkers remain on the daughter of No Nay Never, who has failed to follow up her excellent second behind Tahiyra in the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas back in late June. She appeared to be back somewhere near her best when finishing fourth behind the same rival in the Group 1 Matron Stakes in first-time blinkers and could easily fill a place if anyone fails to show their true form.
WIN: HEREDIA
