Wednesday 17th September 2008
Prendergast aiming for Cheveley Park Stakes glory
Irish trainer Kevin Prendergast is hoping that his exciting juvenile Shimah will take her chance in the £170,000 Group One Cheveley Park Stakes (2.40pm), one of the highlights of the second day of Newmarket’s Cambridgeshire Meeting on Friday, October 3 - Shadwell Day.
The daughter of Storm Cat has proved herself among Ireland’s top two-year-old fillies this season with a comprehensive maiden victory over six furlongs at the Curragh on June 7, followed by an equally impressive success in the Listed Saoire Stakes over the same course and distance on June 27.
Shimah lost little in defeat last time out in the seven-furlong Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on August 31, going down by half a length to Again, despite being carried right in the closing stages by the David Wachman-trained filly.
Friarstown-based Prendergast has been thrilled with all of his filly’s appearances so far this season and is looking forward to seeing her in action once more prior to a well-deserved break.
Prendergast commented: "The plan for Shimah is for her to run in the Cheveley Park Stakes. She’s come out of the Moyglare Stud Stakes well and her final start of the season will hopefully be at Newmarket on October 3. If it is good ground, she should take her chance.
"I was delighted with her last run, especially on the soft ground. I think that Again, being by Danehill Dancer, liked the ground better than Shimah. She got carried a bit wide in the finish and if she had come up the stands’ side it might have been a different result, but that is the way it runs.
"She has progressed really well this season winning a maiden and a Listed race before coming second in a Group One contest - it’s hard to get better than that.
"The form of those victories has worked out well too. She beat Connie Mac first time out, who finished third in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, and then beat Chintz, who ran well in a Group Three race, so the form seems to be the top of the pops."
Prendergast, who trained Shimah’s half-brother, Haatef, to finish fourth in the 2006 Darley Dewhurst and 10th in the following year’s stanjamesuk.com 2000 Guineas, could also be tempted to let the filly return to The NatWest Rowley Mile next spring for a tilt at Classic glory.
"She’s entered in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and we will see how she gets on in the Cheveley Park Stakes before making any decision. If she runs well there then we will discuss it with the owners regarding the stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas next May.
"She seemed to get seven furlongs on heavy ground all right so I don’t think that an extra furlong would be a problem for her."
Shimah is one of 33 fillies going forward in the Cheveley Park Stakes following the latest forfeit stage. A strong Irish contingent also includes the Aidan O’Brien-trained Heart Shaped, who finished fifth in the Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cherry Hinton Stakes, and the unexposed Blas Ceoil, who has won her two previous starts for Jim Bolger.
David Wachman has engaged Pursuit Of Glory, while Tommy Stack could be represented by the Moyglare Stud Stakes third and fifth Beyond Our Reach and Sugar Free.
The home challenge is headed by the Mick Quinlan-trained Langs Lash, who was victorious in the Group Two Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot prior to finishing a close third under a penalty to Infamous Angel and Penny’s Gift in the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Lowther Stakes, which was this year staged at Newmarket following the abandonment of York’s Ebor Meeting.
The pair could re-oppose the fourth from that race, Danehill Destiny,as well as the fifth home Please Sing, who had previously beaten Art Princess and Ahla Wasahl in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cherry Hinton Stakes.
Along with Penny’s Gift, Richard Hannon could rely on Moyglare Stud Stakes sixth Baileys Cacao, who took the Listed betinternet.com Empress Stakes at Newmarket in June, while Kevin Ryan intends to run recent Group Two Flying Childers Stakes heroine Madame Trop Vite.
The remaining French-trained entry is Treasure from the stable of Criquette Head-Maarek, who could bid for a fourth Cheveley Park Stakes victory following on from Ma Biche (1982), Ravinella (1987) and Pas De Reponse (1996). The Chantilly Listed winner is aiming to become the second successive winner from France, following the triumph last year of subsequent stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas winner Natagora.
