Sun Goddess proved she belongs at the top of her game, and she did it in record time. Aidan O’Brien’s star filly won the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, giving her a third Group One victory and setting a new mark for the race.
The win follows her Moyglare Stud Stakes triumph over seven furlongs on soft ground. This time she faced a harder test: six furlongs on firmer turf, a shorter distance that asks a horse to find speed fast. She passed it with room to spare, and O’Brien called it a “massive test.”
The Test She Passed
Snowing and Moonrise set a strong pace up the six furlongs of the Rowley Mile, pushing the field into a rhythm that would punish anyone who waited too long. Sun Goddess and fellow Group One heroine Senorita Bonita travelled in tandem in midfield for much of the race.
Senorita Bonita was the first to show her hand, launching her attack under Billy Loughnane on the far side from the back of the field. Libertango joined her move, but Sun Goddess had other ideas. She found plenty for Ryan Moore on meeting the rising ground, and the 5-6 favourite engaged top gear to win by a going-away length from Libertango. Senorita Bonita was only able to finish fifth after not getting home.
A Class Above
O’Brien was effusive in his praise after the race. He described Sun Goddess as “a freak” and said she looks “really unusual.” He also noted that she is a two-year-old filly racing at the top level every day, which he called “incredible.”
“She looks a freak doesn’t she to be doing what she is doing,” O’Brien said. “And you have to remember she’s a two-year-old filly racing at the top level every day. It’s incredible and I can’t remember having one that classy, with that speed and distance range before, she looks really unusual.”
He went further, calling her “unique” and praising her combination of mental and physical attributes. “She’s unique and to have the mental capacity and physical (attributes) to match it,” he said. “She’s come back there and she’s in no way stressed at all.”
The Size Of The Star
One of O’Brien’s most striking comments concerned Sun Goddess’s maturity. He said she is big for her age, more like a three-year-old than a two-year-old.
“She’s big and doesn’t look like a two-year-old, she’s more like a three-year-old and a massive big specimen,” he said. “Even if she didn’t change any from now until next year she would be plenty big and would still be considered a big three-year-old. It’s very unusual.”
He also noted that she came off the bridle early, which meant she could get into her tempo without being rushed. That early release was key to her performance.
The Road Ahead
Sun Goddess was made 6-4 favourite for next year’s 1000 Guineas by BOYLE Sports. Before that, she could board the plane to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup to test her mettle over a mile.
O’Brien said the next week or so will tell him how much the race took out of her. “We’ll see how she is and the next week or so will tell us how she is and whether this has taken much out of her,” he said.
He was confident about her condition immediately after the race. “She is not blowing very hard and when we were tacking up there was no anxiety,” he said. “She’s as cool as a cucumber and Ryan was over the moon with her.”
A Year Of Wins
This was O’Brien’s seventh Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes win. Last year, he saddled this year’s 1000 Guineas heroine True Love to win this race.
O’Brien noted the comparison between the two years. “That is a massive run after winning over seven furlongs (Moyglare Stud Stakes) on soft ground, it was some change today,” he said. “It was a massive test and she’s passed it.”
He also praised the initiative behind the sale race at York earlier in the summer, which he said was a great idea and a very big pot.
What Comes Next
Sun Goddess faces a busy schedule. The Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland looms first, followed by the 1000 Guineas next year.
O’Brien will watch her closely over the coming days to see how she recovers. If she comes through without issue, the Breeders’ Cup will be the next major test.
Key Facts Box
- Winner: Sun Goddess
- Jockey: Ryan Moore
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Distance: Six furlongs (Rowley Mile, Newmarket)
- Time: Record-setting
- Odds: 5-6 favourite
- Group One wins: Three (Cheveley Park Stakes, Moyglare Stud Stakes, third top-level win)
- Next target: Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, then 1000 Guineas next year
The Cheveley Park Stakes win was a statement. Sun Goddess has shown she can win over six furlongs, seven furlongs and at the top level. She has passed every test thrown at her, and O’Brien has called her a freak.
The Breeders’ Cup will be the next proving ground. If she runs as well there, she will confirm her status as one of the best young fillies in the game.
Source material: “Sun Goddess passes 'massive test' to rule supreme in Cheveley Park,” Sky Sports.
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