Veracious on course for Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes

Veracious won the  Atalanta Stakes at Sandown on her latest  start. Picture: Racingfotos.com

Laurens heads eight Group 1 winners still engaged in the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on October 6.

Following yesterday’s scratching stage, 25 fillies remain engaged in this £250,000 Group 1 contest, which is run over a straight mile and is the penultimate leg in the Mile category of the 2018 QIPCO British Champions Series.

The Karl Burke-trained Laurens was winning at the highest level for the fourth time when landing the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday and her connections immediately revealed the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot would be her next target.

Other entries include the winners of the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, Billesdon Brook, and the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches [French 1000 Guineas], Teppal.

Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien has six possible runners and his contingent includes four Group 1 scorers – Rhododendron, Athena, Happily and Clemmie – as well as the late-developing I Can Fly, easy winner of the Group 2 Boomerang Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Stoute last landed the Sun Chariot with the Cheveley Park Stud home-bred filly, Integral, in 2014 and he has another strong candidate in the red, white and blue Cheveley Park silks in the shape of Veracious, who landed the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes at Sandown this month.

Chris Richardson, Managing Director of Cheveley Park Stud, owner-breeders of Veracious, said: “All being well, the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes is the next intended target for Veracious.”

“The Atalanta Stakes did not go according to plan for her as there was no pace and she got no cover – Ryan Moore was quite uncomfortable through much of the race – but her class allowed her to overcome those obstacles.”

“We were delighted that she won and she has come out of it really well. Hopefully, now that she has five races under her belt, the penny will start to drop and she will begin to learn what racing is all about.”

“A small setback precluded her from lining up in the Guineas and then it was a bit of a rush to get her to Royal Ascot, where we knew she would be a bit keen and fresh and hence we were forced to make the running with her, which was not ideal. She is still progressing and whatever she achieves this year, she will be even better next year.”

“She is probably at her best on good ground or faster and there is every chance that we will get that again at Newmarket.”

“I was impressed with Laurens last weekend but she has done a fair amount of racing while Veracious is potentially on the way up and there is no better man than Sir Michael Stoute to get a filly like her to peak at the end of the season.”