Wind Chimes added to mix for Sun Chariot

Fabre says it will be “fun to have a go” against Laurens.

Laurens will face a maximum of a dozen rivals in the Group 1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

The Karl Burke-trained filly was winning at the highest level for the fourth time when landing the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown last month but her presence has not deterred connections of Wind Chimes supplementing her at a cost of £20,000.

It means the penultimate leg in the Mile category of this year’s QIPCO British Champions Series carries prize money of £266,875.

André Fabre, trainer of Wind Chimes, said: “She has done well since her narrow defeat in the Prix du Moulin. She worked this morning and I was happy with her, so we decided to supplement her for the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes.

“She has always been very good and I intended to run her in the 1000 Guineas in the spring but was unable to get her ready in time. You never know until the day how they will cope with the Rowley Mile’s undulations but it is a fair course with a good racing surface and she is a well-balanced filly.

“She also holds an entry in the Prix de l’Opera [at Longchamp] on Sunday but that would have been a big step up in distance for her. You can be confident that  she is well suited by a mile, so this was the obvious race for her.”

He added: “Laurens has the highest rating in the race and if she runs to her best she will be difficult to beat, but it will be fun to have a go. Wind Chimes is a Group 1 filly – I am sure of that.”

Aidan O’Brien has won the past two renewals (with Alice Springs and Roly Poly) and could be three-handed via I Can Fly, fresh from last month’s Group 2 Boomerang Stakes triumph, plus Group 1 scorers Clemmie and Happily.

Saturday could also see a clash between the British and French Guineas heroines as Teppal, Wind Chimes’ conqueror in the Pouliches, is a potential runner alongside the shock 66-1 winner of the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, Billesdon Brook.