Sahpresa again shines in Sun Chariot Stakes
A record of one winning favourite in the last 10 years makes the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes one of the most open Group One races in the British calendar.
That trend was bucked when Sahpresa, who had been outsider when she won 12 months ago, defended her crown in style for trainer Rod Collet.
Christophe Soumillon, having found little on offer on the first day of Longchamp’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe meeting and was rewarded as Sahpresa became only the second dual winner of the Sun Chariot, after Free Guest in 1984 ’85.
Spacious took up the lead from Sent From Heaven with about two furlongs left but the challengers were already queuing behind for a crack at her. Strawberrydaiquiri looked dangerous and Music Show seemed to be travelling well for Ryan Moore but none of them could match the burst of speed from Sahpresa.
The mare was completely out of sorts when running down the field in the Group Two Windsor Forest Stakes, at Royal Ascot in June, but had come back to form with a win in the Group Three Prix du Pin at Longchamp last month. Now she came through with an unanswerable last-furlong run to beat Strawberrydaiquiri by one-and-three-quarter lengths, with Rainfall coming through beaten horses for third.
“She’s a great filly,” Soumillon said. “I always know that she was a great filly to make a double like this. We were a bit worried with the filly, in the beginning of the season, because the trainer had some problems. At Ascot she did not run a good race but last time, at Longchamp, she really won well. Today we have a bit of worry about the ground but she was travelling all the way easily.
“I tried to come as late as possible but, even this way, I come a bit early and I need to ride her hard to get her to concentrate because she was trying to stop a bit in front.”
This was only Sahpresa's third run of the season and connections are keen to make up for lost time with a trip to Japan for the Grade One Mile Championship, a race in which she finished third 12 months ago. “This year she’s probably more mature to travel a long way,” the jockey said. “Last year she ran well but the ground was too sticky for her. If we can have a good run this year I think she can do something nice.”
However the British runners who tried their luck at Longchamp yesterday had little to show for their efforts. High Heeled's second for John Gosden in the Group Two Prix de Royallieu was the best showing on an afternoon of near-misses.
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