Peeress Powers To Chariot Glory

Peeress savoured the rain-softened ground at Newmarket to take the honours in the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes.

The biggest priced of Sir Michael Stoute´s three runners, the 7-1 chance took her trainer back to the head of the trainers´ championship in the process.

Seven days on from the controversial Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over the same course and distance, the field were spread right across the track from an early stage.

And it was the group that stuck doggedly to the far rail who came out well on top.

Peeress, owned by the Cheveley Park Stud and ridden by Kevin Darley, led over two furlongs out and kept on strongly to beat Summitville (50-1), with Musicanna (8-1) in third.

Stoute´s other runners, Chic and Favourable Terms, could only finish fifth and eighth respectively.

With Summitville setting a fierce gallop in the early stages under Kerrin McEvoy, the first three home were simply always in command.

Summitville´s resolute gallop held sway to the point where Darley asked Peeress for an effort. But from then on the result was not in doubt, the daughter of Pivotal eventually coming home half a length to the good, with another two and a half lengths back to Musicanna.

Chic, wearing the first colours of Cheveley Park, was in trouble from some way out, being chased along with fully three furlongs to run.

And although her sheer guts brought her home in fifth, Chic could make no impression from the centre of the track and now heads to retirement.

Peeress, on the other hand, is set to stay in training next season as Cheveley Park continue to take advantage of the opportunities now offered to older fillies.

But soft ground clearly suits the winner and it would be no surprise to see her kept for another autumn campaign.

Stoute said: 'She´s shown all year she can handle these conditions whereas my other two fillies prefer it quicker.

'She´s a tough performer who has never run a bad race and I hope she stays in training next season.

'It was an unusual race but that´s racing. It never works out the way you think it will.'

Cheveley Park Stud boss Chris Richardson was being diplomatic but also indicated Peeress was likely to be seen in action in 2006.

'I think Chic has probably run her last race now,' he said. 'She´s shown again this season what a brilliant mare she is and there isn´t a lot left for her to prove now.

'But if Mrs Thompson (Cheveley Park Stud´s owner) agrees then there must be every chance that Peeress will stay in training. She hasn´t had a lot of racing and she has been deliberately kept for the end of the season in the hope that the ground would come in her favour.

'Whereas the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown was always Chic´s target, this has been the aim for Peeress for some time.'

With more than a hint of ruefulness, he added: 'It is a shame that Chic could not bow out with a win but the Matron was her race. She ought to have won that.'

For Darley, it was the end of a topsy-turvy week having been due to ride last year´s winner Attraction in the race until the injury-enforced retirement of that filly earlier in the week.

Darley said: 'Mr Stoute said before the race the ground had come for her and she´s very uncomplicated.

'Summitville gave me a great lead until we ran into the Dip and once I gave her the office to go she lengthened and kept going nicely.

'She was a little bit keen from the gate. I just wanted something to follow to get her in behind. Summitville was the only one in front of me so I followed her.

'The ground is pretty much the same all over. It´s quite poached everywhere. I think this filly would probably have won wherever she was.

'She was a great substitute for Attraction. She (Attraction) will be sadly missed, but we are all relieved she is going to the paddocks in one piece.'

Summitville may have finished only second but his trainer James Given could scarcely have been more pleased - indeed connections showed considerably more elation than those of Peeress.

For so long the flagbearer at James Given´s stables, Summitville is now set to head for the sales and this result can have done nothing but good for her potential price tag.

Given said: 'I´m very pleased with her. I told Kerrin (McEvoy) to go out there and be as bold as he could, hoping people would forget her.

'The soft ground obviously helped and at one stage she looked to have slipped the field and it´s difficult to come back in soft ground.

'It´s her best result and probably her last as she has three bits of Group One type now.

'Cheveley Park have beaten us a few times now. Hopefully they will want to buy her to make up for it!'

Of third-placed Musicanna, James Fanshawe said: 'I´m very, very pleased with her. She found the pace of a Group One a little bit tough, but she´s run a really good race.'

? PA Sport