Inspiral leans towards Sun Chariot as the probable choice
Inspiral to Skip Irish Champions Festival for Sun Chariot Stakes
The highly anticipated race at the Irish Champions Festival will be missing a star contender this year as Inspiral opts to seek more Group One riches in Newmarket’s Sun Chariot Stakes. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, this daughter of Frankel has been turning heads with her impressive performances.
After bouncing back to her very best last month at Deauville where she secured back-to-back victories in the Prix Jacques le Marois, Inspiral has earned herself a spot in the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Mile later this season. However, before setting her sights on Stateside ambitions, the four-year-old has closer duties to attend to.
On October 7th, Inspiral will head to Newmarket’s Rowley Mile in search of a fifth top-level victory. The Sun Chariot Stakes is being considered as a potential race for her participation and it seems like a favored choice among connections.
If Inspiral performs well at the Sun Chariot Stakes, it would provide her with a four-week lead into the Breeders’ Cup held in Santa Anita during early November. With such promising form leading up to that event, it appears that a season-ending swansong in California could be on the cards.
However, there are still some uncertainties regarding Inspiral’s future plans. Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud which owns Inspiral stated, “If she is going to retire, I can see her going to America and retiring, but if she was to stay in training then I don’t know, and maybe she will make the Breeders’ Cup, but it would depend on what Mrs Thompson would like to do.”
Another horse from Cheveley Park Stud that could potentially have the Breeders’ Cup on her radar is Sacred. Trained by William Haggas, this five-year-old mare has not been able to shine at York’s Knavesmire track recently.
Having failed to perform well in her last race at City Of York Stakes, Sacred might head to Newbury for her next outing where she claimed victory in the Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes last season. However, before any decisions are made regarding the Breeders’ Cup participation of Sacred or Inspiral, their wellbeing and form will need further evaluation.
Chris Richardson mentioned about Sacred’s performance at York saying, “We now know she just does not want to perform at York. She was never happy there.” This suggests that a change of scenery might be beneficial for the talented mare.
In conclusion, while Inspiral looks set for a thrilling run in Newmarket’s Sun Chariot Stakes as part of her quest for further Group One success this autumn; whether both Inspiral and Sacred will make it across the Atlantic for the prestigious Breeders’ Cup remains uncertain. For now, fans eagerly await their upcoming races with hopes of witnessing more exciting victories on British soil.