Newmarket Saturday preview: Cheveley Park and Middle Park entries

By David Ord

Horse Racing

Mon September 23, 2024 · 3M ago

Babouche is 13/8 favourite with Paddy Power to win the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes for the sponsors at Newmarket on Saturday.

14 horses remain in Saturday’s Group One feature at the five-day stage with the market leader set to put her unbeaten record on the line following success against the colts in the Phoenix Stakes last time.

Aidan O’Brien could allow Lake Victoria to bid for back-to-back Group One victories, after confirming Royal Ascot heroine Fairy Godmother will not run again this season.

Lake Victoria maintained her unbeaten record in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh and has the option of dropping back in trip from seven to six furlongs just a fortnight later on the Rowley Mile.

Fairy Godmother, not seen since her brilliant victory in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, had previously been identified as the likely Ballydoyle representative this weekend, but she has now been put away for the winter.

Paddy Power make the pair their 5/1 joint-favourites for next year’s 1000 Guineas.

“Fairy Godmother is finished for the season, we just decided to leave her off for the rest of the year,” O’Brien told the PA news agency on Monday.

“As for Lake Victoria, we were thinking we might bring her back to six furlongs for this going to the Moyglare.”

There are two French-trained entries in Daylight and the supplemented Rayevka, while Sky Bet Lowther Stakes heroine Celandine spearheads the home defence.

Whistlejacket on his way to July Stakes glory

O’Brien is responsible for the even-money favourite for the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes in the shape of Whistlejacket, who won the Prix Morny on his latest start having been second to Babouche at the Curragh.

Stablemates Camille Pisarro, Henri Matisse, Ides Of March and Treasure Isle also stood their ground.

Gimcrack second Shadow Of Light is among the list of 12 entries. He was taken out of Saturday’s Dubai Mill Reef Stakes because of the testing ground as was Wathnan Racing’s Defence Minister, who has been supplemented into the Newmarket showpiece.

Wathnan's adviser Richard Brown said: “With all the rain and a very changeable forecast we want to have a range of possible targets for Defence Minister. He’s a very promising colt but we know he wants decent ground, so we are keeping all our options open at this stage.”

Richmond Stakes winner Black Forza is another interesting acceptor.

Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes - Paddy Power bet: 13/8 Babouche, 5/2 Lake Victoria, 9 Celandine, 10 Daylight, Truly Enchanting, 14 Rayevka, 16 Heavens Gate, Leovanni, 20 Arabian Dusk, Bubbling, 25 Merrily, 40 Maw Lam, 50 Greydreambeliever, Magic Mild.

Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes - Paddy Power bet: Evens Whistlejacket, 3 Ides Of March, 6 Shadow Of Light, 7 Black Forza, 10 Henri Matisse, 16 Defence Minister, 20 Andesite, Camille Pissarro, 33 Intrusively, Jouncy, 50 Dash Dizzy, Treasure Isle.

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