The winners of the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1), Prix Morny (G1), and Lowther Stakes (G2) meet in a potential juvenile race of the season in the Sept. 26 Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) at Newmarket Racecourse, with the betting narrowly favoring the experience of Sun Goddess.
Winner of five of her seven starts, Sun Goddess looked every inch the likely One Thousand Guineas (G1) winner when landing the Moyglare Stud Stakes over 7 furlongs this month at the Curragh, her second destructive performance in a row after overcoming trouble in running to thrash her rivals in a valuable sales race at York.
Notably strong at the end of the Moyglare, a mile is clearly going to suit her very well, so it's an indication of the regard in which she is held that connections are dropping the daughter of Sioux Nation back to 6 furlongs.
Sun Goddess showed more than enough speed over 6 furlongs last month at the Curragh to beat Folsom Blues by 1 1/4 lengths in the Phoenix Stakes (G1).
That runner-up franked the form in no uncertain terms by romping to a 6-length success in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (G1), and it is entirely possible Sun Goddess is the latest superstar off the Ballydoyle conveyor belt.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien has won this race a record six times, all since 2016, and said: "Sun Goddess seems to be in good form. She obviously hasn't done much since the Curragh, but we're happy with her."
Crisford content with Senorita Bonita's progress
The acceleration which Senorita Bonita unleashed to land the Prix Morny last month at Deauville Racecourse stamped her as a top-class filly at 6 furlongs.
It was a burst of speed so devastating that it seems hard to believe it is not her best trip at this stage of her career.
That might give her an advantage over Sun Goddess, who has stamina to burn, and it will be fascinating to see if Senorita Bonita can outspeed the favorite.
Ed Crisford, joint-trainer of Senorita Bonita, said: "We've been very pleased with her since the Prix Morny.
"She has trained super well into this race. It's a championship race, one of the highlights of the entire autumn. There are some seriously good fillies in there. It's an honor to be involved.
"Senorita Bonita showed an incredible turn of foot in France. She put the race to bed very quickly. She's only lightly raced, and could be improving again."
Ground a 'massive' help to Libertango
Arguably the most bullish noises in the buildup have come from the Libertango camp. George Boughey says there is lots to like about his star filly's chance as she bids to turn the tables on Senorita Bonita, who beat her by three-quarters of a length in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes (G2) in July at Newmarket Racecourse.
"In hindsight, we probably gave her too easy a time between Royal Ascot and Newmarket," Boughey said. "She needed to be harder trained.
"She's in great shape and has enjoyed the perfect preparation, which I think is very helpful for a race like this.
"She has been training beautifully and is very healthy and fit."
Libertango beat Sun Goddess by a length in Royal Ascot's Albany Stakes (G3), and Boughey does not think there will be a great deal between the big trio at Newmarket.
"I think there's little between the three, but you also have to put Joseph O'Brien's filly (Alwaysanangel) and Andrew Balding's Moonrise in there too," he said. "It's a great race.
"The ground is massive for us, I think. You watch them train every morning, and there's no doubt Libertango is a better horse on fast ground. She is going to get her conditions on Saturday."
Aidan O'Brien has a second entrant in the stakes-placed No Nay Never filly Snowing. Joseph O'Brien will be represented by Alwaysanangel, third in the Duchess of Cambridge behind Senorita Bonita and Libertango, and Andrew Balding has entered dual group 3 winner Moonrise to round out the field.
