Can exciting Adrestia take next step towards Group company? Analysis and quotes for Newbury Listed feature

This isn’t a race with a rich history of producing top-class sprinters and only two of the field, Adrestia and Englemere, hold entries in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.

It was hard not to be impressed by Adrestia in a Sandown nursery last month. Despite being badly hampered at the start and getting caught up in mid-race traffic jams, the daughter of Havana Grey still managed to quicken smartly to beat Englemere by a length and a half.

She renews rivalry with George Boughey’s filly on 4lb worse terms, but the margin of Sandown victory in no way reflected Adrestia’s superiority and most will expect her to confirm the form. Indeed, she looks quite an exciting prospect.

Michael Bell, who has saddled the winner of the St Hugh’s three times with Petula (1993), Needles And Pins (2003) and Tardis (2021), fields another serious contender in Amestris.

Her effort just flattened out in the closing stages of Goodwood’s Group 3 Molecomb Stakes last time after she looked likely to be involved in the shake-up at the furlong pole.

Amestris has a good cruising speed and should like the track. Bell equips her with a first-time tongue-tie.

It’s rare for Andre Fabre to have runners over 5f in Britain. In fact, the last time he was represented over the trip was with Matelot, who finished 13th of 14 behind Lochsong in the 1994 Palace House Stakes.

His record at Newbury since 1988 is two winners from six runners, and he has booked Ryan Moore to partner Lady Of Andros, a filly who gave the impression she needed further when fifth behind La Samana at Deauville last time.
Analysis by Richard Birch

Fabre set for rare British runner

Andre Fabre: runs Lady Of Andros at NewburyCredit: Edward Whitaker

We don't often see Andre Fabre listed on a racecard in the UK these days.

He has saddled just 13 runners in the last five years, before we even get to the rarity of his runners over five furlongs here. The chances are that, less than this being some sort of grand plan, Fabre has just sensed a soft opportunity to gain some black type with Lady Of Andros in the St Hugh's Stakes. 

This is rarely a strong race of its type. The average winner in the last ten years has achieved a Racing Post Rating of 98, while three of the last four runnings have fallen below that figure, markedly so in the last two years.

It’s unlikely we’ve seen the best of Lady Of Andros, although the evidence of her two starts to date suggests she may ideally need longer trips. She looked pretty one paced over this trip at Deauville last time.

In opposition, River Seine won’t lack speed while Adrestia was particularly impressive in a nursery at Sandown last time and has as much potential as any in this field.
Racing Post Ratings insight by Matt Gardner

Going report

Good ground is expected for the start of Newbury’s two-day meeting.

Clerk of the course George Hill said: “We’re only forecast up to two millimetres in showers on Friday morning and it’s expected to be dry and sunny during racing. It’s good ground at the moment and I’d expect it to dry back for Saturday.”

The course was watered on Wednesday.

What they say

Ed Crisford, joint-trainer of Adrestia
She is an improving filly and won very well at Sandown. She showed a good turn of foot after getting into a bit of trouble. This looks the logical next step. There are some good fillies in there and she will need to improve again; if she does, she should be in the mix. She has an entry in the Cheveley Park. We’ll see how she gets on at Newbury and regroup after that.

Laurent Benoit, owner of Lady Of Andros
We're running in a race at Newbury which unfortunately isn't available to us in France, namely a two-year-old fillies-only race over 1,000 metres [five furlongs]. She is a filly with plenty of speed and her second run in the Prix de la Vallee d'Auge came soon enough after her debut. She was still a little bit raw that day and as a result of where she was drawn, she was probably not following the right horses.

Michael Bell, trainer of Amestris
She ran very well in the Molecomb. She looked like winning when travelling virtually best of all over a furlong out. We’re hoping she will be very competitive back among her own sex. She’ll like the ground and it’s been a lucky race for us over the years.

Karl Burke, trainer of Kaadi, River Seine and Storm Call
All three fillies are very well and deserve to take their chance. They are all speedy fillies and it’s hard to split them.

Alice Haynes, trainer of Kuwaitya
She’s in good order on the back of two good recent runs. She likes quick ground and has a bit of course form.
Reporting by Richard Birch

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