Unbeaten Fillies to Go Head-to-Head in Cheveley Park

The depth of this season's Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) for 2-year-old fillies Sept. 28 at Newmarket is poles apart from the Middle Park Stakes (G1) for colts on the same card. The Cheveley has unbeaten winners of the Phoenix Stakes (G1) and Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1), plus a Prix Morny (G1) third. It is everything you could ask for in a 2-year-old group 1. Babouche (GB) has been targeted at the Cheveley Park since readily accounting for Whistlejacket (IRE) in the Phoenix, form which was boosted when the runner-up colt won the Morny eight days later. Barry Mahon, racing manager to Babouche's owners Juddmonte, said: "She's been a star all year and was impressive when beating the colts at the Curragh. We've given her a little break and she has definitely got stronger and put on condition. The question mark is the ground. I don't know what effect the rain will have on her chances." Babouche's profile is difficult to knock and slower ground could spark another improved effort based on pedigree. Perhaps trainer Ger Lyons' record in Britain will be of greater concern for punters. Lyons is a force in Ireland, but is 0-19 here over the past five seasons and 1-27 across the two tracks at Newmarket since he started training. That sole success at least came in this race 13 years ago. Money has arrived for French raider Daylight (FR) as the in-running trouble she suffered in the Morny became more apparent to punters. As a daughter of Earthlight (IRE), she should thrive on a testing surface, and the stage is set for a big run. "We were drawn out wide in the Morny and Mickael (Barzalona) was concerned to get her covered up and so chose to follow Whistlejacket. Things didn't open up for her until it was too late, but we were very satisfied with her performance," said Pauline Chehboub of Gousserie Racing, co-owners of Daylight. "We thought straight away of the Cheveley Park as she has a lot of natural speed. We're going there with a lot of hope. "The Rowley Mile is quite a special track with the way it falls and rises, but Daylight is a very well-balanced filly and she should handle that side of things. The best sprinting fillies in Europe are there, but she's one of them." Lake Victoria (IRE) may be unbeaten, but her suitability for this test was hard to predict until recently. It is unusual for Aidan O'Brien to send his Moyglare winner down a furlong in trip barely a fortnight later in the Cheveley Park. That race typically heads the way of future Guineas types and middle-distance fillies rather than sprinters. It remains to be seen whether Lake Victoria, speedily bred on the dam's side as a daughter of Commonwealth Cup winner Quiet Reflection (GB), was flattered at the Curragh. The daughter of Frankel (GB) was second string on jockey bookings and the yard's odds-on favorite Bedtime Story (IRE) finished lame. A thorough test of stamina at this 6-furlong trip will suit. Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "She's going back to six furlongs, a distance she hasn't run over before. We were thinking of this race before the Moyglare. Before she ran at the Curragh we didn't think she'd have any problem dropping back to six, so we'll see. She's in good form." Can Whistlejacket tough it out in Middle Park? We have been here before with Whistlejacket. He is all the rage in yet another big-race market despite three of his six runs resulting in defeats at odds of even money or shorter. Similar prices are available in his latest assignment as, realistically, this is among the weakest Middle Park fields in memory. Whistlejacket is the only runner to have contested a group 1, let alone won one. He earned that highest-level victory in the Prix Morny at the expense of two rivals in Rashabar (IRE) and Daylight who found greater in-running trouble than he did when making every yard. We should at least praise Whistlejacket for his constitution. Eight days earlier this precocious juvenile went down fighting behind Cheveley Park favorite Babouche in the Phoenix. Seeing how she fares in the fillies' equivalent 35 minutes earlier, and indeed Daylight, will provide us with valuable gauges to both form lines. Whistlejacket clearly has a massive reputation at Ballydoyle and he showed substance to go with his style when bouncing back to win the Morny. That Deauville race has turned into a key pointer as nine winners have gone on to bring up a group 1 double here in the last 18 years. O'Brien said: "Whistlejacket has form on soft ground so we'll see how he gets on. We were delighted with him in the Prix Morny the last day and he seems to be in good form since." O'Brien is likely to rely solely on Whistlejacket for a record-extending eighth victory in the Middle Park, with stablemate Ides Of March (IRE) set to be withdrawn due to the ground. Defence Minister (GB) and Shadow Of Light (GB) missed the Sept. 21 Mill Reef Stakes (G2) owing to deteriorating ground conditions. Their connections would have cursed the recent weather. As surely would those associated with Richmond Stakes (G2) winner Black Forza, who found things happening too quickly in a lucrative Kentucky Downs listed prize in his next start. Trainer Charlie Appleby said: "Shadow Of Light was an intended runner at Newbury last week but we gave that a swerve after the ground turned heavy. Conditions could be on the slower side again here, although a bit of ease wouldn't be a concern. He has come forward since York and should be a contender at this level." Maiden winners Dash Dizzy (IRE) and Jouncy (GB) have even more on their plates to prevent another Ballydoyle domination.