Run at Newmarket on the Rowley Mile course, the race was first inaugurated in 1966, initially for three-year-olds only over a distance of one mile and two furlongs.
In 1974, the race was opened to fillies and mares over the age of three and amended further in 2000 when the race became a one-mile event.
Trends & Statistics:
- 10/10 winners had at least one previous run at Newmarket.
- 8/10 winners had at least one previous win at Newmarket.
- 8/10 winners came from the top three in the betting.
- 7/10 winners were aged three or four.
- 6/10 winners were favourites/joint favourites.
Let’s look at the contenders for the 2019 renewal on Saturday 5th October:
Veracious
This daughter of Frankel could only finish sixth in this race last year but she has come on leaps and bounds as a four-year-old and currently heads the betting.
Having opened her account at Group One level in the Falmouth stakes last time, the Cheveley Park-owned filly will be bidding to give her trainer Sir Michael Stoute a fifth success in this one mile event.
Iridessa
Iridessa was comfortably beaten on her seasonal reappearance and was put to bed easily behind Hermosa in both versions of the Guineas.
However, in the second part of this season she has come to the fore, picking up the Pretty Polly Stakes over a mile-and-a-quarter, before exacting revenge on Hermosa in the Matron Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend.
Laurens
A succession of races on fast ground was muted to be the reason why Laurens ran below par in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on her last start.
The Karl Burke-trained Laurens claimed the fifth of her six Group One victories in this race last year, but whether she will be back to defend her title remains uncertain as she also has an entry in the Prix de la Foret the following day.
If she runs she must be bang up there with another solid chance.
Lavender's Blue
Lavender’s Blue won the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes at Sandown last time for owner-breeder Benny Andersson and she takes her chance against more experienced fillies and mares here.
Trained by Amanda Perrett, Lavender’s Blue made a promising start to the year with a winning debut at Newmarket followed by a runner-up effort in Listed company at Newbury.
She them bombed out totally in the Investec Oaks at Epsom finishing last of the 14 runners so her Atalanta Stakes victory came right out of the blue as it were.
Hermosa
Hermosa dominated the first half of this season securing a famous double in the Irish and British 1000 Guineas.
Aidan O’Brien’s filly boasts an unenviable record over a mile, never failing to finish outside the top two in any race over the distance whilst taking in two Classics. The only time she has ducked in recent times is when she took on ten furlongs at Glorious Goodwood.
Although she had her sails lowered by Iridessa in the Matron Stakes, the margin of the victory was very minimal and she will be competitive again here, there is no doubt about that.
Billesdon Brook
Last year’s shock 1000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook was back in the big time when she was victorious in the Theo Fennell Oak Tree Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on her last outing.
Her form had tapered off somewhat towards the end of last season and at the start of this, but a win at Chelmsford plus a sterling effort at Pontefract, appear to have reignited her enthusiasm.
She is currently trading at odds of 20/1 which could look quite generous come raceday.
Crown Walk
The Godolphin-owned Crown Walk is another French-trained runner heading over to English shores.
The Henri-Alex Pantall-trained four-year-old was initially trained by Charlie Appleby before she was moved over to France to join Godolphin’s French operation.
Her most recent form gives her something to find with quite a few of these, but her win last season at Chantilly followed by her second placing to the useful With You, give her some sort of outside chance on Saturday.
Madeleine Must
The Henri-Alex Pantall -trained filly was supplemented into the race at the start of the week for the princely sum of £20,000, so connections must quietly fancy their chances of recouping that outlay one would think?
The French have a good record in this race and if Madeleine Must runs anything like she did in the La Cochere Listed Stakes at ParisLongchamp a month ago, then she must be in with a live shout.
The form of that race reads really well with Richmond Avenue, Imperial Charm and Matematica (last year’s Marcel Boussac runner-up) all in behind her.
Twist 'N' Shake
John Gosden said there were excuses for Twist ‘N’ Shake’s defeat when she was the beaten favourite at Deauville last month.
The three-year-old was an impressive winner of the Listed Prix de Bagatelle at Deauville in July before finishing runner-up to the Andre Fabre-trained Fount in the Prix de Lieurey when last seen.
Happen
Happen was no match for her Ballydoyle stablemates in the Matron Stakes last time and finished sixth of the seven runners.
Her run in the Coronation Stakes back in June also leaves her with plenty to find on the book and she is understandably the least fancied of the O’Brien trio.
I Can Fly
This Fastnet Rock-filly has been on the go all year long for the Aidan O’Brien stable, running nine times in all but only managing to win a small race at Dundalk on their all-weather track.
She has however performed with credit in several of the top fillies and mares races this season and could quite easily be in the frame once again here.
Sun Chariot Stakes: Pick
With French horses presently being the flavour of the moment on UK shores, let’s take a punt with Monsieur Pantall’s Madeleine Must (nap) continuing that trend and landing the spoils for France in the Sun Chariot.
888sport suggests: Madeleine Must (e/w).
