Saturday Newmarket review including Fairyland in the Cheveley Park
A round-up of the rest of the action from Newmarket as Fairyland shot to the top of the antepost market for next year's 1000 Guineas.
O'Brien in Cheveley Park dreamland
Fairyland narrowly denied The Mackem Bullet for a second time this season in a thrilling climax to the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Fairyland claimed her third win from four starts when seeing off Brian Ellison's The Mackem Bullet by a nose in the Lowther Stakes at York in August and it was a similarly close fought battle in this six-furlong Group One.
Both horses were positioned prominently from the off, but 6/1 chance Fairyland looked to be travelling much the better entering the final furlong. However, 25/1 shot The Mackem Bullet refused to go down without a fight and there was just a neck between them at the line. O'Brien also saddled the third home So Perfect.
Sky Bet reacted by making Fairyland their 12/1 favourite for the 1000 Guineas next spring.
O'Brien said: "We're delighted with her. We thought she would come forward from York and she did.
"She is a lovely filly. She was just back at York after having a break, having gone through the whole thing (bug at yard). They were all very sick.
"Donnacha gave her a peach of a ride and she has loads of speed. We always thought she would stay and maybe get a mile, but she is not short of speed. She has a lovely mind and relaxes. I'd probably not run her again (this season)."
🏇🤔 Is this your idea of the 2019 1000 Guineas winner?
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) September 29, 2018
🧚♀️ @SkyBet make Fairyland their 12/1 market leader following today's Cheveley Park Stakes victory.pic.twitter.com/eKGibKgDVb
Ellison was proud of The Mackem Bullet's performance and is eyeing a trip to Churchill Downs.
He said: "The Breeders' Cup is on the agenda now. She is a good filly. She is one of the best fillies around. That is three good runs she has put together now and I couldn't see her being out the places today as I didn't think there anything wrong with the Lowther form.
"She has improved with every run as well. Oisin (Murphy) said she is crying out for a mile. We will see what the owners want to do."
Pretty Pollyanna was the 6/4 favourite to confirm her place at the head of ante-post lists for next year's 1000 Guineas. The daughter of Oasis Dream could not add to her victories in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and Prix Morny, however, passing the post in fourth.
Her trainer, Michael Bell, said: "The fallout is it's disappointing initially. We had a good position in the first half-furlong and then Silvestre (de Sousa) tucked her in, which in hindsight was the wrong thing to do as she got beaten.
"She perhaps didn't come down the hill that well at that pace. She does have an entry in the Fillies' Mile and we will talk to Bill and Tim (Gredley, owner) to see if she takes that up. We need to see how she is but she hasn't blown a candle out after the race, so she hasn't had a hard race. This is on our doorstep so it is a possibility."
Ballydoyle boss Royal Lodge
Mohawk (8/1) led home a one-two-three for Aidan O'Brien in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket.
The Ballydoyle handler had saddled five previous winners of the Group Two contest and possessed a strong hand as he went in search of a sixth.
The outsider of the trio, Sydney Opera House, cut out much of the running alongside Mark Johnston's Victory Command and still held a narrow advantage racing inside the final two furlongs.
However, Mohawk soon took over in the hands of the trainer's son Donnacha and powered clear for a decisive one-and-a-quarter-length success.
Sydney Opera House was a clear second ahead of another stablemate, Cape Of Good Hope, in third.
The previously unbeaten Beatboxer was the 7/4 favourite for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori, but he was in trouble from an early stage and trailed home last of the seven runners.
1⃣-2⃣-3⃣ Aidan O'Brien cleans up in the Royal Lodge!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) September 29, 2018
Mohawk - a son of Galileo - goes into @SkyBet's antepost Derby market at 25/1
pic.twitter.com/m9O6QnGG7A
O'Brien said of Mohawk, who is 33/1 for next year's Derby with Sky Bet: "He is a lovely horse and has been progressing lovely. He won second time out then he ran very well in Group races after that.
"He loved going a mile and he will be a lovely middle-distance horse. He might not run any more this year and be put away to start in the Classic trials. I'd imagine he has done enough (for the season), that is what we're thinking at the moment, but that can change."
Of the placed horses, the trainer added: "We were very happy with them as well. Sydney Opera House is a lovely, middle-distance horse and Cape Of Good Hope is the same. He (Cape Of Good Hope) has had a bit of time since he ran, but he ran a lovely race and has been progressing with every run."
Sunday service on Saturday
Ed Walker is refusing to get ahead of himself just yet with Sunday Star (7/2) after she made it third time lucky when taking the opening division of the Blandford Bloodstock Maiden Fillies' Stakes by a length and three-quarters.
The winning trainer said: "She will certainly stay a mile as she has not stopped there. If she is working the house down in the spring, we might be tempted into a Guineas trial."
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