Homebred one-two keeps Cheveley Park Stud in rhythm

A pair of very famous members of the Cheveley Park dynasty were involved in combining for a one-two in the Newmarket stud’s red, white and blue silks in Saturday's Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom.

Bashkirova, who led home the fast-finishing Potapova, are so named because they are both granddaughters of Russian Rhythm, a sales purchase by the Thompson family at the turn of the century who has set down her own foundations.

Precocious enough to win the Lowther as a two-year-old, Russian Rhythm swept to 1,000 Guineas glory for Kieren Fallon and Sir Michael Stoute in 2003 and won the Lockinge on her sole start at four.

Of the daughters, Potapova’s dam Safina was the best she had produced on the track, as a maiden winner by Cheveley Park’s late flagbearing stallion Pivotal who finished a brief career by taking third in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot.

Russian Rhythm powered away in the Guineas in 2003 under Kieren FallonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Safina has already produced a Fred Darling winner in Marenko and Potapova, who is by Invincible Spirit, looks very likely to add large black type to her record in time.

Pivotal is also involved in both pedigrees as he is the sire of Bashkirova, whose jockey Tom Marquand managed to get first run on her cousin and held her off by a length and a quarter.

The winner is the first foal out of Russian Finale, by Dansili, who also landed a minor maiden for Bashkirova’s trainer William Haggas.

Another of Russian Rhythm’s daughters, Barynya, is responsible for the Group 3 Sovereign Stakes winner Zonderland.

"It’s funny how time goes by," said Chris Richardson, Cheveley Park’s long-serving managing director.

"Sadly Russian Rhythm isn’t around but we had five daughters that we could breed from and we actually have about 20 female members of the line at the stud, from foals to mares.

"We won the race twice with Echelon and then once with Clinical a few years ago. It was nice to have two fillies good enough to run this year and there wasn’t much between the two of them. Hopefully it’s Royal Ascot here we come."

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