Haggas duo hunting Chartwell prize

Ashley Iveson
May 12, 2023 4:00 pm

Queen Aminatu and Sacred contest Lingfield Group Three.

Queen Aminatu and Sacred give trainer William Haggas a strong hand in the Fitzdares Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield on Saturday.

Sacred emerged as a Classic contender when winning the Group Three Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket two years ago – and while she came up short in the 1000 Guineas the following month, she has since won the Group Two Hungerford Stakes and a Listed prize at Newbury, both over Saturday’s trip of seven furlongs.

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned mare will be tackling an artificial surface for the first time in public this weekend, though, whereas her stablemate Queen Aminatu is an all-weather regular.

The daughter of Muhaarar has won twice at Lingfield already and also struck gold on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle. Her owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer is keeping his fingers crossed she can bounce back from a disappointing recent run in a Group Three on turf in Ireland.

Found plenty! Queen Aminatu picks up really well to take the talkSPORT @awchamps Fillies’ And Mares’ at @NewcastleRaces! @CierenFallonJr pic.twitter.com/NO9dx8WoBE
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 7, 2023

“Queen Aminatu got bogged down in Ireland, she couldn’t get her feet out of the ground, it was too deep,” said Oppenheimer.

“I think other horses felt the same, it poured with rain the day before and I think it was rather a non-event.

“The question is, it has only been 12 days since she ran at the Curragh and she’s not a big filly, so maybe that will be a bit much for her.

“It seems worth taking the risk because it is a Group Three and she enjoys the all-weather.

“We will see how she goes, we don’t want her to have a hard race obviously, but I think she will enjoy the surface. I just hope she isn’t too tired from her trip to Ireland.”

White Moonlight winning at Newmarket (Tim Goode/PA)

Andrew Balding saddles dual Group Two winner Sandrine, while Saeed bin Suroor is looking forward to running White Moonlight.

The latter finished second twice in Dubai earlier in the year before failing to land a blow in the Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia

“White Moonlight is an improving filly this year and has been working nicely at home,” the trainer told www.godolphin.com.

“She has won on the all-weather before and dropping back to seven furlongs will suit. She is fresh and ready for this, and I’m looking for a good run.”

Candle Of Hope, who carries the colours of the King and Queen, will be an outsider, but trainer Richard Hughes believes she could outrun her odds.

He said: “I needed to get a run into her and we went to Goodwood last week knowing the ground was against her but she needed to have a race.

“I though that was a hell of a run considering I just needed to get a run into her. She had been on the boil for too long waiting for her ground. But she ran above herself, I thought, on ground that would be totally against her.

“Now this has switched to the all-weather, we thought we would give it a go. She probably should have won there first time out this year, she was very unlucky. Going back there I know we’re taking on horses rated higher, but she’s getting plenty of weight and is tough as boots.”

Secret Angel (Karl Burke), Nizaaka (Jane Chapple-Hyam) and Love Interest (David O’Meara) complete the line-up.