Stellar cast for Cheveley Park Stud matings headed by the Frankel-bound Starscope and exciting maidens

The towering figure of Inspiral has shaped a key element of Cheveley Park Stud's mating plans for 2024. 

Inspiral was an impressive winner of her second Prix Jacques le Marois, the Sun Chariot Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in 2023, and Cheveley Park aims to repeat the mating that produced the superstar daughter of Frankel. 

Her dam, the Selkirk mare Starscope, was placed in the 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes and has also since thrived in her second career. She produced a sister to Inspiral in 2023, and there could be further Group 1 updates to come this year as the five-year-old remains in training with John and Thady Gosden.

Matthew Sigsworth, the Newmarket stud's bloodstock manager and head of nominations, said of the team's flagbearer: "Inspiral came back to us for about a month before going back to John and Thady's just before Christmas. 

"She's in great form and we're obviously looking forward to this year with her, there are plenty of options over a mile, and the way she ran at Santa Anita means there will be a few options over ten furlongs as well. 

Matthew Sigsworth: "It makes perfect sense to send her back as the cross works so well"Credit: Sarah Farnsworth/Goffs UK

"Starscope is in foal to Frankel and will be going back to him. It makes perfect sense to send her back as the cross works so well. We're keen to replicate that and get another Inspiral."

Frankel, off the back of another outstanding year that saw him crowned British and Irish champion sire, will receive some of the choicest Cheveley Park mares, including Regal Realm. 

She is the dam of multiple Group winner and Coral-Eclipse Stakes third Regal Reality, while her now three-year-old Frankel filly Regal Jubilee announced herself as a talented performer with two wins in 2023, notably by a convincing two lengths in the Montrose Fillies' Stakes at Newmarket in November for the Gosdens. 

Sigsworth said: "Regal Realm is another going back to Frankel off the back of Regal Jubilee, who is wintering well with John and Thady. She won a Listed race at the end of last year really well and will take in one of the Guineas trials and then we'll go from there."

Princess Elizabeth Stakes winner Bashkirova is carrying her first foal to the Juddmonte giant and is also booked in for a repeat visit down the road. 

The daughter of the late, great Pivotal – whose daughters have clicked so well with Frankel – is a granddaughter of the mighty Russian Rhythm.

Chaldean will receive Cheveley Park mares in his debut seasonCredit: Laura Green

Sigsworth, who revealed Chaldean's Pivotal half-sister Praised would also be visiting Frankel, said: "We like the cross so well that Bashkirova will return to him. It suits the family well and obviously Frankel is flying."

Cheveley Park mares are also bound for Frankel's studmate Chaldean, new to Banstead Manor for 2024 and winner of the 2,000 Guineas and Dewhurst. 

Sigsworth said: "We've got a couple going to him, including Sultry, the dam of Chesham Stakes winner Holloway Boy. Another is Foxtrot, who's in foal to Twilight Son and is a Le Havre mare who we thought would suit Chaldean well."

Sacred is a newcomer to Cheveley Park's broodmare ranks, and a hugely exciting one too. 

The daughter of Exceed And Excel and Sacre Caroline was a four-time black-type winner for William Haggas, including in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes, and was beaten just a neck by Khaadem in last season's Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Sacred: high-class performer is booked in for Blue Point for her first coverCredit: Mark Cranham

She is headed to another stallion sensation of 2023 in Darley's champion first-season sire Blue Point, the source of top-level winners Rosallion and Big Evs. 

Sigsworth said of Sacred: "She's been back at the stud for a few months now and has settled down well. 

"She's pencilled in to go to Blue Point, who was a phenomenon last year and we thought we'd stick with the speed angle for her. He'd also suit her physically as well as he's a big, strong horse."

Another star name bound for Blue Point is Veracious, a Frankel mare who won the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes for Sir Michael Stoute. 

"She's in great form and her Dubawi filly named Formal is now with Sir Michael Stoute," said Sigsworth. 

"Veracious is due to Kingman in early February and she should be another suited by Blue Point; he's such a solid horse, both physically and mentally."

Blue Point is another sire who will receive mares from Cheveley ParkCredit: Edward Whitaker

Sacre Caroline will also receive a blue-chip covering in the form of Shadwell's exceptional Baaeed. 

The half-sister to American champion Lady Eli and dual Graded winner Bizzy Caroline is the dam of three winners from four progeny to have run.

Sigsworth reported: "She's doing well and will go to Baaeed; it's a mating that sits well as she's thrown a speedy one in Sacred and Baaeed was a very good miler himself. 

"She's got a yearling colt by Frankel and was barren last year so we'll get a nice early cover with her."

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Persuasive, the dam of winners including Greenham Stakes third Theoryofeverything, is in foal to Baaeed and set to go back to him at Beech House Stud. 

Her third foal, the Dubawi colt and seven-figure Book 1 graduate Strong Opinion, was runner-up on his second start for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin last autumn. 

"The Baaeed mating sat really well so we were keen to send her back," said Sigsworth, who added: "She's got a lovely two-year-old Dubawi filly called Cajole, who is with the Gosdens." 

Persuasive brings the curtain down on her racing career with success in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at AscotCredit: Charlie Crowhurst

Breeders' Cup winner Queen's Trust is also due to foal to Baaeed, and will then head to Kildangan Stud in Ireland for a covering by Night Of Thunder. 

"She's a big, strong mare, while he crosses so well with Dansili mares too," explained Sigsworth.

The Listed-winning and Group-placed Canonized is another Cheveley Park mare bound for a Darley stallion, but in her case down the road to Dalham Hall's Palace Pier.

Baaeed's sire, the redoubtable Sea The Stars, who is based at Gilltown Stud in Ireland, will receive Cheveley Park support in the form of Mesa Fresca, the dam of Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks winner Harmonize, herself responsible for the unbeaten Quality Road colt Integration. The last-time-out Grade 2 winner looks set to contest the biggest American turf races this term.

Cheveley Park Stud head Patricia Thompson and John GosdenCredit: Edward Whitaker

There are plenty of other high-class mares heading to Ireland too, including Benefit. 

The daughter of Acclamation, a Listed winner and Group performer on the track, will be among the book of Ballylinch Stud's high-flying New Bay. 

Sigsworth noted: "New Bay seems to get on well with Acclamation-line mares."

New Bay will also cover maiden mare Peripatetic, a Listed winner and Group 3 runner-up. The daughter of Ulysses is out of Del Mar Oaks winner Dublino and is therefore a half-sister to dual stakes winner Answered. 

Falmouth and Sun Chariot Stakes winner Integral, the dam of the stakes-placed Fundamental, is another bound for Ballylinch, this time to flagship sire Lope De Vega.

Sigsworth said: "Lope De Vega will put a bit of size and substance onto her."

Audience: Criterion Stakes winner for Cheveley Park in 2023 Credit: Mark Cranham

Other interesting mating plans include that for Troarn, a black type-placed Wootton Bassett sister to European champion Almanzor. She will be among the first mares covered by Coolmore's new sire and four-time Group 1 winner Paddington. The ten-year-old is expecting a foal by Sea The Stars.

Oasis Dream mare Ladyship has been a fine servant for Cheveley Park, first on the racecourse and then at paddocks. Her three black-type winners or performers are headed by last year's Criterion Stakes winner and multiple Group 2-placed Audience, and she is set to visit one of the hottest sires around. 

"She's going to produce a full-sibling to Audience and then head to Havana Grey," revealed Sigsworth.

Potapova is another exciting addition to the quality-packed team as a Group-winning granddaughter of Russian Rhythm. 

The Invincible Spirit six-year-old will set sail for Ireland, with Sigsworth passing on: "She has her first mating with Mehmas. She's a big, rangy mare who should suit him."

Potapova will head to Mehmas for her debut seasonCredit: Mark Cranham

Cheveley Park's two Newmarket-based stallions, Ulysses and Twilight Son, are also set to receive healthy support.

Ulysses was a dual Group 1 winner on the track for Stoute and owner-breeder the Niarchos family, and he is building up a fine profile at stud too. 

The son of Galileo has been represented by four individual Group winners, including Ballysax Stakes-winning pair Piz Badile and White Birch, who were also both Classic-placed, and the lightly raced Passenger, an intriguing proposition for Stoute and the Niarchos family in 2024. 

Sigsworth said: "We'll be sending him Frolova, a half-sister to Prix Jean Prat winner Good Guess, Group 3 winner Spangled, and stakes winner Solar Magic, a Pivotal half-sister to Starscope."

Twilight Son's book will include Regal Fanfare, a winning sister to Regal Reality, Enshrine, a winning Ulysses half-sister to Sacred, and Bermuda, a winning Kodiac sister to Twilight Son's stakes scorer Vetiver.

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