Lumiere fends off rivals in Cheveley Park Lumiere saw the six furlongs out with gritty determination to make all the running in the Connolly's Red Mills Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. Trainer Mark Johnston has always rated the Shamardal filly highly and she justified his faith by showing both class and gameness to land the Group One contest. William Buick took no prisoners as Lumiere (100-30) stretched out in exuberant fashion from flag fall. Bear Cheek and Besharah tried to keep tabs on her, but Lumiere kept finding more and was still able to see off the late challenge of the previously unbeaten Illuminate by half a length. Besharah was just a head behind in third. Buick said: "She's very exuberant. Even cantering down she wants to do everything quick, but she'll mature and I really like way she saw it out to the line. They were snapping at her heels and it was a fantastic performance. "I'm so happy for everyone - Mark and the whole team had so much faith in her. "She's a bit like riding a coiled spring, there's not much you can do, you want to sit still and hope she comes back to you. "She saved a bit to the end - she's high class, any horse that can do that the way she did has to be very good, especially when you are doing a bit too much in front. "Looking at her you think she'll be a filly for next year as well, she'll mature and might get a mile." Johnston said: "I was pretty sure she was very good, but you don't know what they are beating at home and she'd done it so easily. "I was not as disappointed as you might think in the Lowther. You couldn't ask more of a horse. The winner (Besharah) swept past her and she was very inexperienced. She'd not seen another horse before in a race and she did stick on. "Coming here today, I hadn't been as nervous before a race for a long time, because I thought she's the best horse I've had for a long time. "I hoped she was probably the best horse in the race, but I wasn't sure if she had the experience or the condition for it. She had gone in her coat. I've only got four horses like that and she's one of them. "She was probably the tallest and rangiest horse in the race today and we always thought there should be no shortage of stamina and we also know she is very fast and has a tremendous cruising speed. "I told William she'd stay and to ride her with confidence. "I'm very hopeful she'll get a mile next year. I told someone three weeks ago I didn't know about the Cheveley Park, but I'm sure she'll win the Guineas. I just hope I'm right." Ladbrokes make Lumiere a 14-1 chance for the Qipco 1000 Guineas, with Coral 12-1 and Paddy Power halving her in price to 8-1 from 16s. Richard Hannon, trainer of Illuminate, said: "I thought the race was set up for us, but she just didn't go by. "She ran a super race and travelled very well, she just got tired when she hit the rising ground."
