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racing news |
Sonning Rose Among 11 for the Chichester Observer Prestige Stakes at Goodwood 24/08/10
Mick Channon is hoping that Sonning Rose can bloom in the £40,000 Group Three Chichester Observer Prestige Stakes (3.40pm) at Goodwood on Saturday, August 28.
The West Ilsley trainer gave the Hawk Wing filly a break after her runner-up finish to Zaidan over the same distance of seven furlongs in the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 19, and the two-year-old is one of 11 high-class entries for the Goodwood contest, alongside last week’s Group Two Lowther Stakes heroine Hooray.
Sonning Rose comfortably landed a maiden at Pontefract on June 7, having previously made a pleasing career debut at Goodwood when a neck second to Crown Prosecutor in a six-furlong maiden on May 31.
Channon revealed this morning: “We gave Sonning Rose a break after Ascot as that was her third run in quite a short space of time. We are bringing her back for the autumn and she is grand.
“It will be a good race and certainly won’t be easy, but she’s a smashing filly and everything is in place. She’s got a bit of speed and I think she has done well for having a break so we will take it from there.
“She is in good heart and will be ready to run.”
The 11-strong entry also includes one of the most exciting fillies in training, Date With Destiny. The Richard Hannon-trained juvenile, a Group One Fillies’ Mile entry, is the only foal born to the late champion George Washington and she heads to the Chichester Observer Prestige Stakes after winning over the distance on her debut at Newbury on July 9.
Hannon could also run the Listed placed Sweet Cecily, while the Roger Teal-trained Cochabamba was runner-up in the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown on July 22 and Godolphin’s Zabeel Park was second in the same grade at Deauville on July 31.
Also of note, Sir Michael Stoute has engaged Newbury maiden winner Cape Dollar, while Ralph Beckett could run unbeaten Leicester maiden winner Princess Severus.
The Chichester Observer Prestige Stakes is well titled given the race’s standing as a leading contest for juvenile fillies with top-flight aspirations. Numerous past contestants have gone on to compete and triumph in Group/Grade One company. Among them, 2000 winner Gossamer went on to win the Group One Fillies’ Mile and Group One Irish 1,000 Guineas, while Nannina (2005) also landed the Fillies’ Mile and added the Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot the following year.
Other outstanding winners of the race include Pure Grain (1994), Bella Colora (1984) and Fairy Footsteps (1981).
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Godolphin’s Rio De La Plata won the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and Group Two Veuve Clicquot Vintage Stakes at Goodwood as a juvenile and showed his wellbeing on August 20, when winning the Group Three Strensall Stakes at York. His trainer, Saeed bin Suroor, has also engaged Poet’s Voice, while the field is completed by Vitznau and Summer Fete.
The day also features the £40,000 Listed Windflower March Stakes (2.30pm) over a mile and six furlongs, which has 15 entries, including Queen Alexandra Stakes winner Bergo from the Gary Moore stable.
The second day of the meeting, Sunday, August 29, hosts another enthralling seven-race card when the feature contest is the seven-furlong £57,000 Supreme Stakes (3.55pm), for which there are 22 entries including Tropical Paradise, successful over the course and distance in the Group Three Oak Tree Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
Goodwood also stages an evening fixture on Thursday, August 26, prior to its late August highlight.
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