RACING:SOME OF the best fillies in Ireland could try to dominate Newmarket's Group One fixture this week with Emulous in line to attempt a notable double in Saturday's Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes.
The Dermot Weld-trained star graduated to the top-flight in style with a hugely-impressive Matron Stakes victory at Leopardstown earlier this month and a Sun Chariot follow-up is not novel territory for either Weld or champion jockey Pat Smullen.
Dress To Thrill completed a Matron-Sun Chariot double in 2002 but in those days the Leopardstown event was a Group Three while the race at Newmarket was a Group Two.
“The way she won at Leopardstown didn’t surprise me. She was always one we held in high regard but she just took time to mature into herself. And the boss’s patience was rewarded in the Matron,” said Smullen yesterday.
Emulous had both Together and Misty For Me behind her at Leopardstown and she may wind up facing Aidan O’Brien’s Together again on Saturday. O’Brien was a Sun Chariot winner with Halfway To Heaven three years ago.
Another Ballydoyle star set to appear at Newmarket could be Maybe who is in line to defend her sparkling unbeaten record on Friday. Next year’s 1,000 Guineas favourite is among the 15 entries remaining in the Shadwell Fillies Mile, a race transferred from Ascot on the back of programme alternations to facilitate the new “Champions Day” fixture.
Aidan O’Brien’s star performer, who completed a five-in-a-row sequence in last month’s Moyglare at the Curragh, could end up facing a strong home team including the first three in Doncaster’s May Hill Stakes, headed by the Godolphin filly Lyric Of Light.
A third Group One prize in 24 hours at Newmarket will be Saturday’s Jaguar Cars Cheveley Park Stakes where David Wachman may be represented by his consistent Fire Lily.
On the National Hunt front, the former dual-Cheltenham Festival hero Weapons Amnesty is likely to make a welcome return to action in November. The Michael O’Leary-owned star hasn’t been seen since winning the 2010 RSA Chase at the festival and missed last season through injury.
“He’s in good form at the moment and the plan is for him to be out somewhere in November. I haven’t got anything earmarked at the moment and the thing with him is that he has to go left-handed,” trainer Charles Byrnes said yesterday.
“That means there are limited options with him before Christmas, so we’ll have to see. We will see how he’s coming along nearer the time, but hopefully we’ll find something in November. The plan after that would be to go to Leopardstown for the Lexus over Christmas. I’m confident his ability remains intact as he hasn’t got much mileage on the clock.”
