Inspiral set for suitably regal covering as champion mare headlines Cheveley Park Stud mating plans

Inspiral is the exciting new jewel in the crown of Cheveley Park Stud's broodmare band and the six-time top-level winner is set for a suitably sparkling first cover. 

The daughter of Frankel was unbeaten at two, claiming the Fillies' Mile on her final start that term, before sweeping up Group 1 honours in the Coronation Stakes and Prix Jacques le Marois at three. 

The homebred won a second Prix Jacques le Marois at four, followed by further victories in the Sun Chariot Stakes and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Twice Group 1-placed last year in her final season for John and Thady Gosden, Inspiral has reportedly transitioned seamlessly into a steadier pace of life and will make the short trip across the road to Dalham Hall Stud for a covering by Dubawi.

Cheveley Park's bloodstock manager and head of nominations Matthew Sigsworth says: "She came back to us after her run in the Sun Chariot and has settled in really well. 

"She was a great racemare so we thought we'd give her the best chance and go to the best, so Dubawi's on her dance card. It's a good cross and he's an obvious mating for her, so hopefully we can look forward to a Dubawi foal out of her next year."

Another Group 1-winning daughter of dual British and Irish champion sire Frankel heading to Dubawi is Veracious. 

The Falmouth Stakes winner is the dam of promising performer Formal, twice a winner for the now-retired Sir Michael Stoute and fourth in the Rockfel Stakes in three runs as a juvenile last year. 

"She's the other of ours down for Dubawi on the back of Formal," says Sigsworth. "Formal has gone to Andrew Balding and hopefully she'll have a good spring, where we could look towards a Guineas trial and even the Guineas itself if it went well. 

"She has a lovely full-brother called Veritable, who has just gone into training with John and Thady. He should be a nice horse for later in the year."

Veracious: Group 1 winner and another to head to DubawiCredit: Edward Whitaker

Starscope has been a fine matriarch for the Thompson family's operation and will be paired again with Frankel, with whom she has a two-year-old and a yearling filly. 

"Spinning is a full-sister to Inspiral and has gone to John and Thady and there's another full-sister who is a yearling," says Sigsworth. "Starscope will go back to Frankel as it makes sense. Spinning's just like Inspiral in how she looks, so let's hope she's half as good."

Also among the fleet set for Banstead Manor Stud's titan is dual Group winner Regal Realm, dam of Frankel's stakes winner Regal Jubilee; Ladyship, the dam of Cheveley Park's 2024 Lockinge Stakes winner Audience; Group winners Potapova and Bashkirova; Chaldean's winning Pivotal half-sister Praised; and Sacre Caroline, dam of the team's high-class Sacred and half-sister to champion Lady Eli.

Sigsworth says: "Regal Realm's heading to Frankel to try to replicate that mating of Regal Jubilee. It worked well before so hopefully we can get another nice Frankel. Ladyship is another who is down for Frankel, she's a good, speedy mare for him.

"Bashkirova has a lovely yearling filly by Frankel and will head back to him off the back of that. Likewise Praised, being a half-sister to Chaldean and by Pivotal, which is a good cross, makes sense. She has a nice yearling colt by Frankel as well and it works to replicate those matings both on the cross and what we've seen with the two yearlings.

"Sacre Caroline has a lovely two-year-old colt by Frankel called Matins, who is with William Haggas. He's a nice horse to look forward to later this year."

Blue Point: set to receive Regal Jubilee this seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

Regal Realm's Montrose Fillies' Stakes winner Regal Jubilee, also second in the Fred Darling Stakes last year, has been retired and will head across the Irish Sea to be covered by the brilliant Blue Point. 

Sigsworth says: "Regal Jubilee is a Listed winner and Group 3-placed, so we're giving her a good start with Blue Point."

Sacre Caroline's daughter, Hungerford Stakes winner and narrow Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes second Sacred, was covered for the first time last year. She is due to Blue Point and will then head to another high-flying young sire. 

"We're looking forward to seeing her first foal in the coming weeks and she's down to visit Havana Grey," reveals Sigsworth. "It's the cross of Vandeek and she's the right size as well being under 16 hands. I think she'll work very well with him." 

Foxtrot, a Le Havre half-sister to Bashkirova and the Group-placed Royal Mila, is down for St Mark's Basilica's book. 

There could be more to come from her immediate family as another half-sister, the Cracksman-sired Russian Crescendo, won two of her three starts last year for Haggas and stays in training this season at four. 

"Her half-sister Russian Crescendo is improving and should hopefully be a nice filly for this year," says Sigsworth. "The plan is for her to pick up some black type and boost the family."

Holloway Boy: high-class performer continues to provide black-type updates for dam SultryCredit: GROSSICK RACING

Pivotal mare Sultry is among the more established Cheveley Park producers as the dam of 2024 Superior Mile Stakes winner Holloway Boy, who also took the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on his debut. The Ulysses gelding was recently denied a third black-type win when beaten a short head in the Zabeel Mile at Meydan. 

Sigsworth says: "Sultry is barren so we're going to send her across to Kodiac. Holloway Boy was unlucky the other day, while we've got a full-brother to him going into training with Andrew Balding named Humidity. Kodiac likes Pivotal mares and she should work well with him."

Inspiral is not the only Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner in the band, with Queen's Trust an important member of the team. 

The Dansili mare is the dam of two winners from as many runners, including the stakes-placed Chancellor. She is another who will head to Ireland for her 2025 covering. 

"She had Chancellor last year and he's back in training with John and Thady," says Sigsworth. "She went to him last year but we liked the mating so much she's going back to Night Of Thunder. She's due to him in March and will head back there; the Night Of Thunder-Dansili cross is very strong and physically it suits as well."

While plans for Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner and black-type producer Persuasive are yet to be decided – she is not due to foal until April 18 – a couple of Cheveley Park mares are booked in for Beech House Stud and a visit to Shadwell's world turf champion Baaeed. 

Sigsworth says: "Mesa Fresca is down for Baaeed, she's the dam of Harmonized and granddam of Integration, who is a good turf horse in America. Another for Baaeed is Vivionn. Her first foal Anna Swan is quite useful, she won her first two for Sir Michael Stoute and is now with William Haggas."

Vetiver: dual Listed winner will head to Mehmas for her first coveringCredit: GROSSICK RACING

An interesting maiden mare is Vetiver, a dual Listed winner who was Group-placed when third in the Sceptre Fillies' Stakes. 

Sigsworth says of the daughter of Twilight Son: "She will go to Mehmas. He's a nice starting point for her as a proven stallion."

Another stakes winner set for a quality mating is Benefit, a daughter of Acclamation and granddaughter of Cheveley Park Stakes winner Hooray. 

"She's down for Too Darn Hot and is a nice, big mare who will suit him," says Sigsworth.

A fellow son of Dubawi due to receive Cheveley Park mares is New Bay, the up-and-coming Ballylinch Stud resident.

Sigsworth says: "Two going to New Bay are Never Ending, a full-sister to Coventry Stakes winner Arizona, and Peripatetic, a Listed winner and Group-placed filly by Ulysses."

Support for home stallions

The two stallions at Cheveley Park Stud, newcomer Vandeek and established Group 1 producer Ulysses, are both set to benefit from solid home support. 

Unbeaten champion two-year-old Vandeek, winner of the Middle Park Stakes, Prix Morny and Richmond Stakes, has been well received by breeders since arriving at the stud but will also get his share of the Thompson family's mares. 

Vandeek: top-class juvenile is set for strong support from Cheveley ParkCredit: Cheveley Park Stud

"Canonized is one for Vandeek, it's a speed-on-speed mating and he'll put a bit of size on her," says Sigsworth. "Integral is another who will go to Vandeek; he'll put a bit of size and substance on her."

Four-year-old Vandeek, who is standing in partnership with his racing owners KHK Racing, is available to outside mare owners at £15,000.

Ulysses enjoyed a banner 2024 with five individual Group winners. They include Tattersalls Gold Cup victor White Birch, Huxley Stakes winner Passenger, Australian Pattern scorer Mighty Ulysses and Holloway Boy, all of whom will be back for more this season. 

Despite that, the 12-year-old's fee has been trimmed to £8,000 for 2025.

Cheveley Park will back the regally bred son of Galileo, Sigsworth saying: "One of our mares going to him is Group 2 winner Juliet Capulet."

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