Newmarket‘s Cambridgeshire meeting may be in the rear-view mirror, but HQ is not done with the Group 1s just yet. The BetMGM Sun Chariot Stakes headlines Saturday’s card on the Rowley Mile, with seven fillies and mares set to go to post over 1m at 1.35pm.

The field may be small, but there are storylines in abundance. A Juddmonte star on a five-race winning streak, an Irish raider seeking Matron revenge, and a quartet of three-year-olds getting weight from their elders all make for a fascinating renewal. Here are the main talking points ahead of Saturday.

Blue Bolt bids to go one better

12 months ago, Blue Bolt was a progressive three-year-old taking her first crack at the top level in this very race. She ran a fine race in second to Fallen Angel, beaten two-and-a-quarter lengths after her rider briefly dropped a rein under 2f out. She has not looked back since.

Andrew Balding’s daughter of Blue Point has won all five of her starts this term. That run began in Listed company at Goodwood, before she went up through the gears at Royal Ascot in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes. Three Group 1 wins have followed, including the Falmouth Stakes on Newmarket’s July Course and, most recently, the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown, where she was a cosy two-and-a-quarter length winner under Colin Keane.

Juddmonte’s European racing manager Barry Mahon summed up the mood in the camp when saying, “she has done nothing but improve since then and it would be nice to go back and go one better.”

City Of Memphis seeks Matron revenge

The only blot on City Of Memphis‘ 2026 record came courtesy of Blue Bolt. Paddy Twomey’s four-year-old won her first three starts of the season, including the Group 3 Mutamakina Stakes at Leopardstown and the Group 2 Lanwades Stud Stakes at the Curragh in May.

She was then off the track for 111 days before reappearing in the Matron, where she was held up in midfield and stayed on into second under Billy Lee. That was a career-best effort on the figures despite the lengthy absence, and the rematch on the Rowley Mile is one of the more intriguing subplots of the weekend.

Sun Chariot Stakes 2026 racecard

13:35 Newmarket

Good To Firm

BetMGM Sun Chariot Stakes (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares)

Flat Turf
Turf
1m 0f 0y
Class 1
7 runners
Win time: 1m 34s

First Prize: £212,663
2nd: £80,625
3rd: £40,350
4th: £20,100
5th: £10,088
6th: £5,063

1st 1 (3) 13 tips

Blue Bolt OUR TIP W: 9st 5lb Age: 4 yo Filly

1/4 (Won)

J: Colin Keane T: Andrew Balding

OR: 119 RPR: 131 Form: -11111

GG Racing Score 72% Ability 10/10 Draw — Jockey 5/10 Trainer 1.7/10 Course 6.7/10 Distance 10/10

2nd 5 (1)

Evolutionist W: 9st 2lb Age: 3 yo Filly

25/1

J: Shane Foley T: K R Burke

OR: 110 RPR: 121 Form: -12844

GG Racing Score 44% Ability 5/10 Draw — Jockey 6.7/10 Trainer 8.3/10 Course 0/10 Distance 1.7/10

3rd 2 (4)

City Of Memphis W: 9st 5lb Age: 4 yo Filly

15/2

J: W J Lee T: P Twomey

OR: 110 RPR: 124 Form: 5-1112

GG Racing Score 67% Ability 8.3/10 Draw — Jockey 8.3/10 Trainer 5/10 Course — Distance 3.3/10

4th 4 (5)

Calendar Girl W: 9st 2lb Age: 3 yo Filly

12/1

J: Saffie Osborne T: Owen Burrows

OR: 105 RPR: 118 Form: 211-16

GG Racing Score 33% Ability 1.7/10 Draw — Jockey 0.8/10 Trainer 0/10 Course 10/10 Distance 5.8/10

5th 6 (7) 1 tip

Moon Target W: 9st 2lb Age: 3 yo Filly

33/1

J: David Probert T: Sir Mark Prescott Bt

OR: 110 RPR: 121 Form: 38-433

GG Racing Score 33% Ability 5/10 Draw — Jockey 3.3/10 Trainer 3.3/10 Course 3.3/10 Distance 0/10

6th 3 (2)

Kon Tiki W: 9st 5lb Age: 4 yo Filly

25/1

J: Marco Ghiani T: Jane Chapple-Hyam

OR: 108 RPR: 121 Form: 7-2419

GG Racing Score 52% Ability 5/10 Draw — Jockey 0.8/10 Trainer 6.7/10 Course — Distance 8.3/10

7th 7 (6)

Secret Of Life W: 9st 2lb Age: 3 yo Filly

28/1

J: Rossa Ryan T: Ralph Beckett

OR: 104 RPR: 116 Form: 1-114

GG Racing Score 52% Ability 0/10 Draw — Jockey 10/10 Trainer 10/10 Course — Distance 5.8/10

Form

1st 1 (3) 13 tips

Blue Bolt 13 tips 4 yo Filly · 9st 5lb OUR TIP

J: Colin Keane T: Andrew Balding

OR 119

RPR 131

TS 118

Form -11111

Win % 70%

1/4 (Won)

Win: £1.25
Place: £1.01

took keen hold, prominent, chased clear leader 3f out, headway 2f out, soon led and edged left, ridden and ran on final furlong

2nd 5 (1)

Evolutionist 3 yo Filly · 9st 2lb

J: Shane Foley T: K R Burke

OR 110

RPR 121

TS 113

Form -12844

Win % 3%

25/1

Place: £3.10

awkward start, in rear, headway on far side of group 2f out, no chance with winner but kept on and went second inside final furlong

3rd 2 (4)

City Of Memphis 4 yo Filly · 9st 5lb

J: W J Lee T: P Twomey

OR 110

RPR 124

TS 105

Form 5-1112

Win % 10%

15/2

Place: £1.35

dwelt start, soon towards rear, headway over 1f out, no impression but kept on and went third final 110yds

4th 4 (5)

Calendar Girl 3 yo Filly · 9st 2lb

J: Saffie Osborne T: Owen Burrows

OR 105

RPR 118

TS 102

Form 211-16

Win % 7%

12/1

dwelt start, took keen hold, soon towards rear, not clear run briefly and switched right over 1f out, some headway on far side of group final furlong, never dangerous

5th 6 (7) 1 tip

Moon Target 1 tip 3 yo Filly · 9st 2lb

J: David Probert T: Sir Mark Prescott Bt

OR 110

RPR 121

TS 92

Form 38-433

Win % 3%

33/1

ducked left start, took keen hold, soon led, went clear 3f out, reduced lead 2f out, soon headed, no extra final furlong

6th 3 (2)

Kon Tiki 4 yo Filly · 9st 5lb

J: Marco Ghiani T: Jane Chapple-Hyam

OR 108

RPR 121

TS 92

Form 7-2419

Win % 3%

25/1

flyjumped start, took keen hold, in touch, went third 2f out, weakened approaching final furlong

7th 7 (6)

Secret Of Life 3 yo Filly · 9st 2lb

J: Rossa Ryan T: Ralph Beckett

OR 104

RPR 116

TS 78

Form 1-114

Win % 3%

28/1

raced in second, lost second halfway, weakened 2f out, soon lost touch

+o+e Betting Returns

	Payout
Exacta	£10.10
Straight Forecast	£12.73
Trifecta	£26.20

Selections

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The Classic generation get their chance

Four of the seven runners are three-year-olds, who receive a 3lb allowance from their elders. The most accomplished of the quartet is Evolutionist. Karl Burke’s filly was second in the 1000 Guineas over this course and distance in May and has been a regular at the top table since, including when fourth to Blue Bolt in the Falmouth. Burke won this race 12 months ago with Fallen Angel, who has not been declared this time around.

Moon Target has been knocking on the door all season for Sir Mark Prescott. The filly was beaten just a neck when fourth at 33/1 in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, despite not getting a clear run, and was beaten the same margin in third in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes at Sandown last time. David Probert takes the ride on Saturday.

That Sandown race also featured Secret Of Life and Calendar Girl. Ralph Beckett’s Secret Of Life was unbeaten in three starts, including the Listed Coral Distaff, before taking a keen hold in front and fading into fourth in the Atalanta. Owen Burrows’ Calendar Girl, a Group 3 winner here as a juvenile in the Oh So Sharp Stakes, won the Listed Dick Hern Stakes at Haydock in August before finishing sixth at Sandown. Saffie Osborne, who partnered the filly to a big-pot success at Doncaster last September, is back in the saddle.

Kon Tiki gets her quicker ground

Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Kon Tiki is another who knows all about Blue Bolt, having been beaten three-quarters of a length by her at Goodwood in May. She was then fourth in the Duke Of Cambridge before winning the Group 3 Valiant Stakes at Ascot in July.

She was only ninth in the Atalanta last time, though her trainer reported she was unsuited by the good to soft ground there and would prefer a faster surface. She should get her wish on Saturday. The going on the Rowley Mile is good to firm, good in places, following watering, with a GoingStick reading of 6.8. Marco Ghiani rides.