Newmarket’s Cambridgeshire meeting supplied Saturday’s three headline contests, while the Curragh carried the main Irish story into Sunday. Group 1 action light up Newmarket, with Sun Goddess producing a sparkling performance in the Cheveley Park Stakes, whilst Clive Cox’s Orthodox bounded to Middle Park Stakes glory.
We take a look back at the weekend action here…
Cheveley Park Stakes: Sun Goddess finishes strongest
Sun Goddess completed a sixth win from six starts when taking the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket under Ryan Moore. The two-year-old filly was in touch through the early stages of the six-furlong Group 1 on ground officially described as good to firm. She was shaken up when unbalanced over a furlong out, edged right before finding more and leading inside the final 110 yards.
She won going away by a length from Libertango, who had come from the rear and briefly led inside the final furlong. Alwaysanangel stayed on to take third on the final stride, a further half-length back. Senorita Bonita had narrowly led over a furlong out but weakened late into fifth. The result gave Sun Goddess a Group 1 success in a field of six and left her unbeaten after a campaign that began with a win and continued through five further victories. Moonrise was fourth.
Middle Park Stakes: Orthodox prevails in tight finish
Orthodox and Rossa Ryan landed the Middle Park Stakes after an exceptionally close finish to Newmarket’s six-furlong Group 1. The Clive Cox-trained colt travelled strongly in touch, made headway on the near side over a furlong from home and was ridden when edging right. He led narrowly inside the final furlong and just held Force Noir by a neck.
Force Noir had disputed the lead for much of the race and was still challenging inside the final furlong under David Egan. Hell Of A Spin, switched right after encountering a lack of room, finished third, another length away. Push The Boat Out ran on from the rear after becoming unbalanced from three furlongs out and was a head behind the third in fourth. Inner City Blues, unbeaten, was fifth after weakening inside the last furlong. Marco Polo lost position under two furlongs out and finished sixth, with Confucius seventh overall.
Cambridgeshire Handicap: Pierre Royal leads far-side charge
Pierre Royal won the Cambridgeshire Handicap, finishing strongly on the far side under Mikey Sheehy. The four-year-old was held up at the rear of his group before making headway over a furlong out. He was ridden and edged left in the final 110 yards, taking the lead in the closing strides to win by a short head. Crest Of Fire, also racing on the far side, had led his group over a furlong out and kept on, but was headed on the line.
Altareq was a head further back in third, with the first three drawn on the far side. Gavriel led the near-side group towards the finish and was fourth overall, a neck behind Altareq. The going was good to firm and the 28-runner field split into groups across the Rowley Mile. Pathein was a non-runner on account of unsuitable ground. Pierre Royal started at 33/1 and carried 123lb.
Other eye-catching news from the weekend
The two-year-old programme also produced Group 2 results at Newmarket and the Curragh. Haffner made the running count in the Royal Lodge Stakes, holding Burning Up by a length and a quarter under Ryan Moore. At the Curragh, Noble Exhibit set a steady pace and was unchallenged in the Beresford Stakes under Wayne Lordan. Trean won the Goffs Million after finding room over a furlong out, while Curracloe took Sunday’s Darley Fillies Stakes under Ben Coen.
Sunday’s Curragh card was run on heavy ground. Soul Love made all in the Renaissance Stakes and held Big Gossey by three-quarters of a length. The Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch went to Chally Chute, who made headway from midfield and led towards the finish under Sam Coen. Sirius was half a length second, with Galileo Dame third. The handicap featured 33 runners, including three non-runners, and Uxmal slipped up under three furlongs out. Elsewhere, Sunday racing continued at Epsom and Ffos Las, while Saturday’s supporting meetings included Haydock, Ripon, Market Rasen, Southwell and Listowel.