Sahpresa is on course to bid for an unprecedented third success in the £160,000 Group One Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes, highlight of the third and final day of the Cambridgeshire Meeting, Saturday, September 24, at Newmarket.
The Rod Collet-trained six-year-old features among a top-class entry of 51 fillies and mares for the prestigious mile contest.
After giving her trainer a first Group One success in the 2009 renewal of the Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes, Sahpresa returned to the Rowley Mile last year for a ready triumph over Strawberrydaiquiri.
She made her first visit to Newmarket's July Course for her latest start on July 8 and ran an excellent race in defeat when taking second behind Timepiece in the mile Group One Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes.
Collet revealed: “The Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes is one of Saphresa's objectives for this autumn. It's always a pleasure to try and win the race and I am hoping that she can return to Newmarket.
“She was not very lucky in the Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes because there was no pace and we were quite far back from Timepiece. I thought that she still ran a very good race as she made up a lot of ground and Timepiece was talked about as a potential champion filly at the start of last year.
“Her two runs this season have proved that she is not looking like an old filly and she came back from Newmarket really well. We will look to run her at Deauville and I really want to test her in the Prix Maurice de Gheest (August 7), which looks a very strong race this year.
“I think that she has the pace for six and a half furlongs but I am keeping an eye on the weather because she doesn't want ground that is too soft. I would love to try to go for the Prix Maurice de Gheest, or alternatively the Prix Rothschild (July 31), and then head to Newmarket and possibly Japan or Hong Kong.”
Collet may also be represented by progressive three-year-old Nova Hawk, who was fourth in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 1 and found only Immortal Verse, trained by Collet's father Robert, two and a quarter lengths too strong in the Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 17.
The trainer continued: “Nova Hawk worked very well on Tuesday morning and she prefers softer ground to Sahpresa, as we saw at Royal Ascot, so she could head to Newmarket if the going is suitable. I am just looking at the weather with her as well before finalising where she will run next.”
Other notable entries include four-time Group One heroine Misty For Me, one of five entries from the stable of Aidan O'Brien, the Tommy Stack-trained Lolly For Dolly, who triumphed in the Group Two Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot, and last season's Group One Cheveley Park Stakes winner Hooray, who is trained by Sir Mark Prescott.
Newmarket also hosts a feast of juvenile action at the Cambridgeshire Meeting including the £150,000 Group One Shadwell Fillies' Mile, the feature race of the second day of the meeting, Friday, September 23.
A superb entry of 83 includes the Aidan O'Brien-trained Maybe, who heads the market for next year's QIPCO 1000 Guineas following victories in the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot and a Leopardstown Group Three, and impressive Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cherry Hinton Stakes winner Gamilati, representing Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni.
Both fillies also feature among the 58 entries for the £150,000 Jaguar Cars Cheveley Park Stakes over six furlongs on Saturday, September 24, while an entry of 99 for the £100,000 Group Two Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes, run over a mile on the same day, is headed by next year's Investec Derby favourite, the Aidan O'Brien-trained Camelot.
