'I wouldn't change her for anything' - key quotes for the Cheveley Park

Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1) | 2yo | 6f | ITV4/RTV

Assessing lightly raced fillies is always tricky, even in championship events such as the Cheveley Park Stakes.

Do not be surprised to see marked improvement from any of these two-year-olds. Four of the last six winners had been beaten on their previous start and that sextet improved their Racing Post Rating by between 6lb and 11lb. Their average rise was just under 9lb – which would suggest any of eight contenders could be feasible winners.

The pick on RPRs and BHA ratings is Sacred Bridge, albeit she has not achieved an RPR that was good enough to win this race in any of the last eight years.

She certainly looks open to further progress having taken a significant step forward when upped to Group 3 class at the Curragh, where she showed a smart turn of speed to settle things quickly and was good value for a winning margin of nearly four lengths.

That said, it was not an obviously strong running of a race her trainer Ger Lyons took with subsequent Cheveley Park winner Lightening Pearl a decade ago and she is a short price considering there are plenty of likely improvers among her rivals.

Zain Claudette is certainly a filly on the up, having completed a hat-trick when landing the Group 2 Lowther Stakes last month.

Zain Claudette got the better of Sandrine at York but the runner-up is 3lb better off this timeCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Yet she is no certainty to confirm superiority over Sandrine, who had progressed through wins in the Albany Stakes and Duchess Of Cambridge and was slightly slowly away at York, where she gave the winner 3lb and was beaten only a length.

Nor should Flotus be discounted. She showed considerable improvement when ridden from the front to make use of her speed at Ripon, where she was eased close home yet still passed the post four and a half lengths clear, while it would take a brave punter to write off Tenebrism just because she has run only once and not been seen since March.

That run was a most encouraging one as she defied greenness and trouble in running to win going away by nearly four lengths at Naas.

She has high-class breeding being by Caravaggio out of Coronation Stakes winner Immortal Verse, and it is easy to think she might well have played a part in the season's top races had she not been off the track since that debut.

Aidan O'Brien knows what a Cheveley Park winner looks like having trained three in the last five years, and in a race of improvers Tenebrism could be anything.
Race analysis by David Carr

Probert bidding for Group 1 breakthrough

David Probert is seeking his first ever Group 1 win on Sandrine, who lost her unbeaten record at the hands of today's rival Zain Claudette in the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York last time.

Unlike on that occasion, the Andrew Balding-trained speedster carries no penalty in today's rematch, in which she also re-opposes Knavesmire third Desert Dreamer.

Probert has racked up Group 3 and Group 2 wins this season on Sandrine, who showed she was suited to a stiff finish when winning the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes on Newmarket's July course.

He said: "Sandrine was been in good form all year but I was gutted she was beaten at York where she missed the kick a little. She was giving 3lb away that day, so ran well in the circumstances and I've ridden her at home lately and she's in great form.

"The opposition looks strong and includes the Irish filly who is unbeaten, but on the plus side we are drawn around some good ones so hopefully the low numbers are the place to be. You needed a sat nav to find the best place to be when I rode there on Thursday but hopefully we are in the right spot."

What they say

George Boughey, trainer of Corazon and Thunder Love
Both fillies are stepping up to six furlongs but shape as if the trip is well within their compass. Corazon ran very well last time and has been supplemented for the race, I expect we'll be making plenty of use of her. Thunder Love was beaten only two and a bit lengths at Doncaster, but should've been closer as she was stopped twice.

Stuart Williams, trainer of Desert Dreamer
We're very happy with her preparation and it's a tough race, but she deserves her place in the line up. She got her tongue over the bit and the saddle slipped at York last time but she probably would have finished third anyway. We know she handles the Rowley Mile and I expect the stiff finish to suit her.

Charlie Fellowes, trainer of Eve Lodge
We need the forecast to be wrong for her to run as she needs some cut in the ground, which is a shame as the owners paid £20,000 to supplement her earlier in the week. If she were to line up I expect her to run very well, but I suspect we'll come back for the sales race next weekend.

Ed Crisford, joint-trainer of Flotus
She's up in class but won very well at Ripon and deserves to have a crack at this. She needs a career best to win, but she's been training very well at home and will enjoy the ground.

Ger Lyons, trainer of Sacred Bridge
I wouldn't change her for anything in the race. If she rocks up and does what she's been doing all summer then happy days, but this is a stern test.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Tenebrism
She's a lovely, fast filly who we've always thought a lot of. It's a long time since she's run though, and she'll improve for whatever she does.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Velocidad
She had a rough enough trip last time in the Prix Morny at Deauville. Hopefully she can get back on track here.

Jose Santos, assistant to Ismail Mohammed, trainer of Zain Claudette
Everything has been good with her since York and she's stepped up every time she runs. The draw is spot on and having walked the track, we expect the ground to suit her. Her recent work has been amazing.
Reporting by David Milnes

Saturday's race previews:

1.50 Newmarket: Superlative Stakes form gets tested as Masekela lines up in the Royal Lodge

2.30 Curragh: exciting O'Brien juvenile Luxembourg set to show star promise in Beresford test

3.00 Newmarket: Perfect Power renews rivalry with familiar foes in top-class Middle Park

3.40 Newmarket: 'This has been his target' – Thady Gosden on yard's leading Cambridgeshire hopes

4.10 Curragh: Art Power bids for another lucrative Irish raid in Group 3 Renaissance Stakes

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