Newmarket Saturday

Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1)

THE Rowley Mile staged one of the strongest juvenile cards of the autumn on Saturday, ‘Future Champions Day’, with the ground riding fast enough to produce one new course record.

Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore struck in the first two group races before the Middle Park produced an upset and the Cambridgeshire delivered another Irish-trained winner in a blanket finish.

Sun Goddess (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) continued a remarkable first season by landing the Group 1 Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes at 5/6, beating Libertango (George Boughey/Billy Loughnane) and Alwaysanangel (Joseph O’Brien/William Buick), with the margins a length and a length and a half.

Snowing and Moonrise forced a strong pace, with Sun Goddess and fellow Group 1 winner Senorita Bonita settled in midfield. Libertango, held up under Billy Loughnane, swept through on the far side, and briefly led inside the final furlong, but Sun Goddess responded well to Moore’s urging on the climb to the line to score in a track-record 1m 9.08s.

It was her fifth consecutive victory and her third Group 1 of the campaign, achieved only 13 days after winning the Moyglare Stud Stakes.

O’Brien said: “She is an incredible filly; what can I say? She is so natural, everything we have ever asked her to do she has done it. It was a big ask today to come back after running over seven furlongs on soft ground last time - it was the complete opposite.

“She was going to be vulnerable today and the preparation would have been unorthodox, but she is an incredible filly. Ryan gave her a lovely ride and Rossa set lovely fractions, which suited everybody.

“She is very special. She should get a mile easily and who knows after that. She is by Sioux Nation and was only £120,000, which shows you what value he is - he was a very quick horse and horses sired by him stay as well.

“We’ll see how she is before thinking about the Breeders’ Cup. She wasn’t blowing hard after the race and when we were tacking her up there was no anxiety. She is as cool as a cucumber.

“She looks a freak to be doing what she has. You must remember she is only a two-year-old filly and is racing at the top level every time.

“It’s incredible really and I can’t remember having one as classy with that speed and distance range before,” he added.

Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes (Group 1)

ORTHODOX (Clive Cox/Rossa Ryan) took the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes at 7/2, defying outsiders Force Noir (Robson de Aguiar/David Egan) and Hell Of A Spin (Adrian Keatley/Mikey Sheehy) by a neck and a length. Force Noir made the running at a sharp pace, while Ryan asked Orthodox to improve from halfway.

The Jason Goddard-owned Norfolk Stakes winner travelled strongly, negotiated the dip, and struck the front with more than a furlong to go, but had to dig deep as Force Noir rallied on the climb to the line. This was a return to form for Orthodox, who had disappointed in the Prix Morny at Deauville last month having had a break of 10 weeks after his Royal Ascot win.

Cox said: “I am loving the way he has matured mentally. He is just a proper horse with a lot of talent. I think he was a bit shocked coming here today. When you come here it’s unknown territory, but as soon as he hit the rising ground, he was very good.

“I thought Rossa was supreme with the ride he gave him and kept him well balanced, despite not relishing the dip as it was the first time he has galloped downhill. With his ability, he can go over five or six furlongs. The team at home have done a huge job and without them we couldn’t do it. It means the world, it really does.

“The Breeders’ Cup is a possibility, but we’ll enjoy today first and then discuss it over the next few days. I am hugely excited by this fella going forward. I trained his dam and know the family really well. His auntie [Heartache] won the Queen Mary for us.”

Haffner in Breeders’ Cup frame

HAFFNER (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) bounced back from a below-par run in the National Stakes to justify 7/4 favouritism in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes, beating Burning Up (Karl Burke/Clifford Lee) by a length and a quarter, with Quicken Away (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy) the same distance back in third.

First Law and Quest For Stars helped set the early tempo, while Iwasjustsaying raced in isolation on the far side. Haffner moved into contention a furlong and a half out, quickened on the rising ground and proved comfortably superior, leaving his Curragh disappointment on soft going behind him.

The victory was a record-equalling eighth in the Royal Lodge for O’Brien and a first in the race for Moore. O’Brien said: “The ground got soft at the Curragh the last day, which didn’t suit him. He was always in control today - Ryan gave him a beautiful, uncomplicated ride and it was very simple really.

“He will get the Guineas trip, [and] a mile and a quarter and could even get further. I am delighted really.

“I think his form in the race today was different class. His only blip was two weeks ago, and we knew that was from the soft ground. He was always going to get a mile today, is an Acomb Stakes winner and his form was very strong.

“I think he would love going round a bend and a mile trip at the Breeders’ Cup. We’ll see how he is and what the lads want to do.”

PIERRE Royal (Ado McGuinness/Mikey Sheehy) sprang a 33/1 surprise in the Cambridgeshire, beating Crest Of Fire (Jack Channon/Tom Marquand) by a short head. The 100/1 shot Altareq (Jim Goldie/Lauren Young) was only a head further back in third, with 4/1 favourite Gavriel a neck away.

The 27 runners split into two groups across the Rowley Mile, and Pierre Royal came from the rear of the far-side pack. He was still waiting for room two furlongs out, but quickened through the field, edged left under pressure, and caught Crest Of Fire on the post.

Altareq was almost alongside in a remarkable finish, while Gavriel led the near-side group but narrowly lost out to the trio racing across the course. Sadly, Jim Goldie reported mid-week that Altareq had died due to a stomach issue.

McGuinness said: “We only made our mind up to come here on Monday. He ran very well when third in the Irish Cambridgeshire and last time over a mile and a quarter it was soft ground and he didn’t handle it.

“I said this race was our only chance of getting another good run into him this year. He’s a lovely horse to train and is very easy on himself. He travels over easy and sleeps, drinks and eats. Like me, he is a bit big sometimes!

“The lads that own him (A Twist of Fate Syndicate) were all at Listowel this week and couldn’t come over. We’ve had a great time with this horse all year and he’s paid his way plenty.”