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The conditions of the Listed Chesham Stakes states that a runner must be sired by a stallion, or out of a dam who has won over nine and a half furlongs or further, giving it a unique edge over the other Royal Ascot juvenile contests. Despite the restrictions still favouring super-sires like Galileo, we have enjoyed some longer-priced winners of the race and future stars such as Pinatubo.
Aidan O'Brien is double-handed in the contest with first and second favourite Pearls And Rubies and Content. Out of Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes heroine Diamondsandrubies, Pearls And Rubies shaped as though a step up in trip would be a major positive when scoring by a neck over five furlongs at Navan on debut. She produced a late charge up the nearside after settling in the rear of the midfield in the early stages and looks to be a horse with promise.
The O'Brien yard has won the race six times and second-choice Content cannot be dismissed. A daughter of Group 1 sprinting star Mecca's Angel, it was a surprise to see the Galileo filly start over seven furlongs at Leopardstown yet she looked to need every yard of the trip when finishing a quarter-length behind stablemate Buttons.
Owners Amo Racing have already been successful at the Royal meeting this week and La Guarida looks a good option for the Richard Hannon team. The New Bay filly was a good third in a Newmarket novice stakes on debut behind Jabaara and out-ran market expectations when winning a Goodwood maiden on her second start over six furlongs. There is potential for further improvement and the Goodwood form is working out well.
The Archie Watson team are yet to get a juvenile winner on the board this week and Lightning Leo looks capable of a big run at longer odds (16/1). Despite showing some signs of inexperience on debut at Yarmouth, he raced prominently and rallied gamely to beat the well-fancied Sayedaty Sadaty from the Balding yard and Quatre Bras.
Golden Mind has the pedigree of a Royal Ascot winner, as a half-brother to Norfolk Stakes and Commonwealth Cup winner Perfect Power. He was beaten on debut at Hamilton on good-to-soft ground but showed improved form when scoring by a neck ahead Fusterlandia at Leicester. He's expected to appreciate these conditions and may be worth consideration as part of Richard Fahey's crack juvenile squad.
Nemonte would have learnt plenty for her neck success in a seventeen-runner Curragh maiden in late May, running green under pressure at the one furlong marker before putting her head down and staying on well. She represents first-season sire Ten Sovereigns and is expected to appreciate the step up in distance as a daughter of a twelve furlong winner.
WIN: LA GUARIDA
PLACE: CONTENT
