Laurens shines bright in Sun Chariot Stakes

Tudhope and Burke shake hands as the triumphant Laurens returns. Picture: Racingfotos.com

Laurens could run on QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot in a fortnight after landing the Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.

Karl Burke’s stable star was winning her fifth Group 1 in the space of the year, although it was her first in a Champions Series contest.

Danny Tudhope, once again deputising for the injured PJ McDonald, was content to go stride for stride with Happily through the early stages.

Laurens soon started to pressure her rivals though, and with a furlong and a half to run, Tudhope was still motionless with everyone else hard at work.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Happily did eventually rally and Laurens, the 11-4 favourite, only had a head to spare at the line with Roger Varian’s Altyn Orda in third.

Burke said: “I might have been cursing the rain if she’d got collared. Danny said on that ground she was changing her legs, dancing and hopping around.

“She’s a great filly. Two out, I thought she was going to bolt up and she just needed the line in the last 100 yards.

“She was on the go before Christmas, just gently back in working towards the Guineas. She had a nice break after the Prix Diane and that was the best thing we did all year.”

He added: “She could be supplemented for the QEII, she’s already in the Champion Stakes and there’s two options at the Breeders’ Cup so we’ve got a bit to discuss and the main thing is to make sure she’s A1.”

O’Brien said of Happily: “I’m delighted with her run, she ran a great race. She ran a stormer in the Irish Guineas and things have not quite fallen for her since, but she is a good filly. She could have a look at Ascot or America.”

The supplemented Wind Chimes finished a distant last and a post-race examination showed the Andre Fabre-trained filly had an irregular heartbeat.