Sun Chariot Stakes report and replay: Fallen Angel wins fifth Group One

Karl Burke’s charge set out to make all the running down the centre of the coursse but was tracked throughout by the strong-travelling Blue Bolt (17/2).

The eventual runner-up headed her rival for several strides entering the Dip but with both drifting towards the stands’ rail, could never settle matters.

And under James Doyle, Fallen Angel rallied strongly and powered home upon meeting the rising ground to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths.

It was a further four-and-a-half back to 11/8 favourite Cinderella’s Dream in third.

Burke said: “She is a superstar. Apparently the fractions were very quick, and it is tough conditions out there, but she is very tough. I watched it and when the Juddmonte horse came to us I knew it would only help us. James hadn’t gone for his stick until the final furlong and I knew she would find as she always does. She is a brilliant filly.

“I think it probably is one of her best displays. You take the second out and she is a long way clear of some nice fillies. She is hard and very tough. I just said to Charlie Appleby that I would love to try over a mile and a quarter and a mile one again as she should be staying those trips, but she does like to get on with it, but that is a nice problem to have.

“I would say if she is in that form and comes out of the race well there is no reason why we wouldn’t turn up at Ascot in two weeks time. I’m told if she finishes the season sound then she stays in training next year which is fantastic.”

Paddy Power and Sky Bet cut Fallen Angel to 4/1 from 6s for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at the Berkshire track.

Doyle added: “She is very tough and she wears her heart on her sleeve. You just ride her how she likes to be ridden and that is to get on with things. She likes to give you a little moment's worry when she gets headed a furlong-and-a-half out and then she has drawn away. It was a good performance today. I was trying to ride her too collectively and to hold her together and Karl mentioned that in his interviews prior to the Matron, but we have now got it right.

“Danny (Tudhope) knows her well and he has been a good insight to how to ride the filly and he said just chuck the reins at her and keep asking the questions as she will respond.

“As long as the ground is not too quick, which we were a bit worried about as it was quick ground last weekend, but the rain came to soften the ground slightly and that was the key to her today. The more ease she gets she seems to prefer that.

“It is hard to know with fillies at this time of year, but she looked magnificent when they pulled the rugs off her today and if she looks like that in a couple of weeks then why not (have a go at Ascot) as she has got a long winter to chill out.”

Charlie Appleby said of Cinderella's Dream: “I couldn’t see how they took Fallen Angel off as favourite as she is a multiple Group One winner and a Classic winner. Will just said our filly just struggled to find her feet when they started to quicken. We know all of her form is on fast ground.

“I’m far from saying put a line through it as she has run a solid race and we might head back towards the Filly & Mare Turf. She has been there before, so she knows the script, and with a bit better luck in running next time she might have half a chance."

Lady Of Spain was fourth and her trainer Roger Varian said: "She has run really well today, but it was a different test today from the one at Sandown. It was a fast mile today with the wind behind her. She ran a great race. She was just unable to quicken with the front two.

"It was a shame she didn’t quite hang on for third but she ran well. We learnt a lot about her today as she wasn’t ready for this sharp test.

“The Sandown race she won was on softer ground on a stiffer track and she was strong through the line. Maybe I should have gone over ten furlongs tomorrow, but it is easier in hindsight.

"We might have got it wrong tomorrow and looked at Blue Bolt finishing second, who we beat last time, and thought where might we have been. We need a crystal ball sometimes, but I can’t complain with how she has run.

"We are running out of season and I’ve not really thought about what could be next. She could be about next season as she is only four and is lightly raced."

Timeform view from the track - David Cleary

Fallen Angel added a fifth Group 1 success to her stellar cv with a performance in winning the Sun Chariot that ranks as just about the best of her career. An initial assessment of the form suggests she's also produced an effort well up to standard for the race. She holds an entry in the Queen Elizabeth II, where conditions could well be right up her street. She was below form the only time she faced males, but it was in the Lockinge on her first run of the year.

Fallen Angel dominated the race from start to finish, a fierce wind largely behind the runners helping those to the fore. With two furlongs to run, most were labouring, the winner maintaining a good gallop, the progressive three-year-old Blue Bolt the only threat. Blue Bolt, always prominent, was upsides at one point as the field came over to the stand rail but Fallen Angel found extra to draw away in the last 120 yards.

Blue Bolt has done nothing but improve since making her debut in April and would be sure to win pattern races if kept in training next year. She turned the table comprehensively on Lady of Spain who had beaten her at Sandown last time, that filly just run out of third by the disappointing favourite Cinderella's Dream, the pair well behind the first two.

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