It looks a hugely competitive renewal of the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket at 2:40pm on Saturday afternoon and while a small field go to the 1m start there will be plenty of the runners looking to etch their name on the illustrious roll of honour at Flat racing headquarters. Our resident tipster Steve Chambers previews the race and picks out his 1-2-3 for the race…
Inspiral
(Robert Havlin/John & Thady Gosden)
Multiple Group 1 winner Inspiral was a stunning three-and-three-quarter length winner of this race 12 months and the John & Thady Gosden-trained five-year-old will look to emulate Sahpresa by winning back-to-back renewals of the Sun Chariot Stakes. Winless this season, the mare has struggled to produce her best form and was last seen finishing third in the Prix Jacques Le Marois in France, but she has often shown she performs at her best at the end of the season and if she can emulate last year’s display then she’s going to be tough to beat.
NASHWA
(Hollie Doyle/John & Thady Gosden)
Nashwa will be the second shot fired by the Gosden gun and she’s another superstar for the team and would be a huge player, if producing her best. A former winner of the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket over a mile, Nashwa is another that has stuttered in recent times and hasn’t been seen since March when down the field at Meydan. This is a tough ask after a lengthy absence, but she’s a proven top notch performer and is another key player.
TAMFANA
(Colin Keane/David Menuisier)
An eye-catching fourth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket back at the start of the season, Tamfana is looking to become the sixth three-year-old to win this race in the last nine years. Third in the Prix de Diane and fourth in the Prix du Jockey Club, Tamfana finally got her win for the season when outclassing her rivals in the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes at Sandown, but this is step back into the highest level and she will need to produce a career best to land the prize.
THE FIELD
Andrew Balding will bid for a first win in this race and he will saddle See The Fire, who is another flying the flag for the three-year-old Classic generation, and she was last seen winning the Group 3 Strensall Stakes at York’s Ebor Festival. Beaten a neck by Opera Singer in the Nassau Stakes on her previous outing is top notch form and she is another intriguing addition to this race. A shock 28/1 winner of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket at the start of the season, Roger Varian’s Elmalka has failed to kick on from that Classic victory and was last seen finishing fourth in the Nassau. A return to Newmarket could see her revitalised and she is another cracking runner, while Darnation completes the sextet and Karl Burke’s raider was last seen finishing second in a Group 3 event, so has work to do here.
VERDICT
A fascinating renewal with two out-of-form Gosden runners looking to bounce back and one that can is last year’s INSPIRAL, who has shown she relishes the end of the season and if she can replicate last season’s run then she looks the one to be on. See The Fire has run two cracking races on her last two starts and she can chase Inspiral home in second, while Nashwa can recapture some form and finish third.
2024 Sun Chariot Stakes Predicted 1-2-3
- Inspiral
- See The Fire
- Nashwa
Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.