Cheveley Glory For Blini

Donna Blini ran on strongly to land the Group One Sky Bet Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. The 12-1 chance was always handy under Mick Kinane and held on despite being pressed by Wake Up Maggie (9-2) in the closing stages.

Flashy Wings was sent off the 15-8 favourite but had to settle for third.

Donna Blini was having her first start since landing the Cherry Hinton Stakes in July and gave Meehan back-to-back wins in the Cheveley Park following Magical Romance´s success 12 months ago.

Kinane grabbed the lead on leaving the stalls but was soon passed by Dizzy Dreamer, who led the field until meeting the rising ground.

It was at that point Donna Blini was sent about her business and rallied well to see off the persistent challenge of Wake Up Maggie by a neck.

Ted Durcan had settled Flashy Wings towards the rear of the 10-runner field and made giant strides through the closing stages to finish a further neck in arrears.

Kinane told Channel 4: 'Brian´s done a good job with her. I rode her at Newmarket in July and told Brian to give her a little time - she´s scopey and has plenty of improvement in her.

'He just gave her a chance and he´s turned her out in great shape today.

'I was delighted to get a lead and I was going the pace I wanted to be going. I was always happy with her.

'She´s scopey enough to get further. She´s pacey and relaxes to give herself every opportunity.'

Meehan added: 'She´s a lovely filly. She proved it in the Cherry Hinton. We debated the Lowther and all sorts of things, the Moyglare and even the Doncaster race with all that money, but we felt it was best to wait and give her time.

'She´s pretty tough, she doesn´t take any prisoners. We daren´t let her down for too long or she would take you as a prisoner.

'We´ll put her away for the year. She´s obviously a Guineas filly.

'I wouldn´t think there would be a problem with the trip as long as they go a good enough gallop with her.

'She´s a tough, hardy filly and she galloped all the way to the line. Maybe the break she had made her idle a bit going to the line. We are very pleased with her.'

Wake Up Maggie´s trainer Chris Wall said: 'There was no disgrace in that, no hard luck stories.

'Obviously we would have liked to have won but we lost nothing in defeat - she has been beaten by the Cherry Hinton winner.

'We will give her a break over the winter and prepare her for the Guineas. The jockey is pretty confident she will stay the mile.'

Mick Channon said of Flashy Wings: 'I have no complaints and no excuses - she has done everything right and has finished her race well. All credit to the winner though, she is a good filly.

'I have been waiting to have her ridden more patiently for a long time and she has run her race and I am delighted with her.

'It will be easy to sleep easy over the winter as she will be a proper horse next year - I have always known she is a Guineas filly.'

? PA Sport