Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1)

LIKE the Royal Lodge, the Cheveley Park Stakes produced a minor shock at Newmarket, and this time the one to beat a hot favourite was Jessica Harrington’s Millisle (Shane Foley), who stayed on past Raffle Prize (Mark Johnston/Frankie Dettori) to win by one and three-quarter lengths despite being taken off her feet early, and the daughter of Starspangledbanner was a deserving winner.

Tropbeau (André Fabre/Mickael Barzalona) was a luckless third, half a length behind Raffle Prize after being stopped in her run, with Aidan O’Brien’s longtime leader Tango fourth under Ryan Moore.

Progressed

This Group 1 prize was hardly in the forefront of Jessica Harrington’s mind when the filly made her debut at Bellewstown in July, or when beaten at Down Royal later that month. She has progressed with every start, however, and appreciated having a strong pace to run at having been unsuited by making her own running on her last two starts.

That said, she hinted that this kind of performance was in her locker in the way she rallied after being headed at the Curragh and in the Group 3 Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury where she was unfortunate not to beat Dark Lady.

She reversed that form in no uncertain terms here, with her Salisbury conqueror only seventh, and while that suggests that Richard Fahey’s filly didn’t perform, it makes much more sense to view the winner positively; this is the first race she’s contested which has been run to suit her.

Staying-on

The winner won’t run again this year, but will have no trouble staying a mile in the 1000 Guineas, as her trainer explained: “Shane said the further she was going, the better she was going. She is bred to get a mile easily, as I actually trained a half-sister of hers that got a mile and six, so there is plenty of stamina on the dam’s side. You would probably give her an entry in the 1000 Guineas, but the ground would have to be good. She is a lovely filly who is homebred by Francis Jennings.”

Raffle Prize helped create a scenario which led to a juvenile track record, although that was immediately lowered in the Middle Park, and she probably used up too much petrol getting the best of those up with the pace, leaving herself vulnerable on the climb to the post. She has had an excellent season, winning the Queen Mary and the Duchess of Cambridge under a penalty from Daahyeh.

Mark Johnston was bitterly disappointed to miss out on a Group 1 victory for his hugely likeable filly, but he stated his commitment to rough her off after this and bring her back for the 1000 Guineas. She has potential stamina limitations, but that doesn’t bother Johnston, who won the classic with a similar type in Attraction, and if she doesn’t stay, there are plenty of opportunities for her over shorter after Newmarket.