Cheveley Park Stud pair aimed at Group 1
Thursday 2nd July, 2009
Heaven Sent (left) set to take on Spacious once more
Fresh from giving owners Cheveley Park Stud a stunning one-two at Royal Ascot, Heaven Sent and Spacious could take each other on again in the £200,000 Group 1 Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes on the July Course on Wednesday, 8th July.
A total 12 fillies and mares have stood their ground for the mile contest - the highlight on the first day of Newmarket’s three-day Champagne Lanson July Festival- Wednesday, 8th July 8 to Friday, 10th July.
The pair fought out a thrilling finish to Group 2 Windsor Forest Stakes at the Royal Meeting on June 17, when Spacious proved a length too strong for Heaven Sent, with fellow Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes hopeful Eva’s Request, from the yard of Mick Channon, back in third.
Heaven Sent, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, is set to make a third appearance at the Champagne Lanson July Festival, having been victorious in a seven-furlong fillies’ handicap in 2006 and come third behind Nahoodh and Infallible in last year’s renewal of the Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes.
Last season’s Group One Stan James-sponsored 1000 Guineas runner-up Spacious is also on target for Wednesday’s feature. The four-year-old may bid to enhance James Fanshawe’s superb record in the race, having saddled Macadamia (2003) and Soviet Song (2004 & 2005) to victory.
Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, revealed this afternoon: “The plan at the moment, all being well, is for both Heaven Sent and Spacious to run in the Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes.
“You couldn’t really have got a better result in the Windsor Forest Stakes - even if you take our winner out, then Heaven Sent still ‘won’ by three lengths. She’s in great heart and I she’s as good as ever considering that she is a six-year-old. Sir Michael believed that she in good form prior to Royal Ascot and she’s come out of the race well.
“Her half-sister Megahertz ran six times as a six-year-old, winning on four times and that was one of the reasons why we wanted to keep her in training this season. I think that the mile trip will suit her more than Spacious and the faster ground would also be in her favour.
“It was nice to see Spacious, who was our Classic filly last year, bounce back to top form. We have always thought a great deal of her - especially judged on her run in the 1000 Guineas - and she wasn’t quite right at the back end of last season.
“This could be her last start over a mile and I could see her stepping up in distance after this race.”
Freddie Head enjoyed a superb July Festival 12 months ago, taking the Group 1 Darley July Cup with Marchand D’Or and the Chantilly-based handler may bid for further success with Goldikova, who tasted Group 1 glory in the Prix Rothschild and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp in France last summer, before going on to victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.
Rainbow View could make a fourth consecutive appearance in Group 1company following a staying-on third in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Last year’s Fillies’ Mile heroine, victorious on both her appearances on the July Course last season, was fifth in the stanjames.com 1000 Guineas on the Rowley Mile before coming home fourth in the Epsom Oaks.
Her trainer John Gosden could also be represented by the improving Cosmopolitan, who landed the InterCasino.co.uk EBF Fillies' Handicap over a mile of the July Course on June 20, while the Michael Bell-trained Moneycantbuymelove may also make the step up to Pattern company for the first time following an impressive victory in the Listed Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot.
Aidan O’Brien could bid to win one of the few major races missing from his glittering CV with stanjames.com 1000 Guineas fourth Heart Shaped, while fellow Irish trainer Joanna Morgan has entered San Sicharia, who landed a Group T3 contest at Lingfield Park on her previous trip to Britain.
The acceptors are completed by the Clive Brittain-trained pair of Nashmiah and Wadaat.- and Penny’s Gift, who landed the Group 2 German 1,000 Guineas for trainer Richard Hannon on her latest start.