CREAM RISING TO THE TOP

lan Heitman reports on a crucial time of the season for two-year-olds

- lan Heitman

Over the last few weeks there have been plenty of Group races for two-yearolds with four of the five Group 1 races for juveniles run at Newmarket with two each at the Cambridgeshire meeting and Future Champions Festival.

The final day of the three-day Cambridgeshire meeting on September 30 featured two 6f races, the Cheveley Park Stakes for fillies and the Middle Park Stakes for colts.

Eleven fillies lined-up for the Cheveley Park with French raider Jasna’s Secret sent off the 5/2 favourite to extend her unbeaten record to three. Porta Fortuna, winner of the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and third in Group 1 company in the Moyglare Stud Stakes on her previous start was a 9/2 chance together with Soprano, a fast-finishing third in the Group 3 Dick Poole Stakes at Salisbury earlier in September.

Cherry Blossom, the mount of Ryan Moore, was one of two in the race for Aidan O’Brien who was bidding for a fifth win in the race, his previous four coming from 2016 onwards.

The field split into two groups, eight racing in the centre with three towards the stands side. The larger group dominated with Cherry Blossom dictating the pace with Sacred Angel, fourth in the Group 1 Prix Morny on her previous start, and Porta Fortuna racing just off the pace.

Jasna’s Secret travelled well for Christophe Soumillon held up in midfield, but she wasn’t suited by the dip a furlong and a half from the finish and wasn’t given a hard time when her chance had gone inside the final furlong, finishing ninth.