Always travelling like the clear-best filly in the line-up with Dettori keen to wait behind the leader, the 10-11 favourite was unleashed towards the far rail three out and surged to the line with relish to score by 3 3/4 lengths from Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), with Heredia (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) 3/4 of a length away in third.

“She showed the world today what a superstar horse she is,” Dettori said after the expected warm welcome back to the winner's enclosure he knows so well and where he received a curtsey from the filly's owner-breeder Patricia Thompson. “We knew the pace wasn't going to be that strong and she wants a much stronger tempo. She has got a crescendo of three furlongs and I didn't want to mess around so I thought 'come on let's go and let them come and try to catch you'. She has strode out really well.”

“She gave me a nightmare ride in France, but today she was good,” Dettori added. “I was quite worried when she was so quiet, as when they are quiet it is maybe because they are over the top or maybe they are in season, but that wasn't the case. She was quiet because she was having a good day. It has been my home for 38 years. It is fantastic to be able to do it in a Group 1 on a special filly. I couldn't have written a better ending.”

On her day and when conditions suit, Inspiral is a force to be reckoned with as she proved with impressive wins in Royal Ascot's G1 Coronation S. last June and in the last two editions of Deauville's G1 Prix Jacques le Marois. Not at her best when second in last year's G1 Falmouth S. on the July Course here and in the G1 Queen Anne S. on her 2023 bow, she had testing ground as the excuse when out of the frame in both the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. in October and in the G1 Sussex S. in August.

Now the Gosdens are rightly thinking of the Breeders' Cup Mile, with Inspiral's dynamic acceleration and powerful finish clear indication that this is a filly heading into the autumn in rare form. Her two splits between three out and the furlong pole were completed in :11.21 and :11.01 and that is the kind of speed on demand that wins out at next month's World Championships. “She is in the QEII and she could be entered at the Breeders' Cup, but we won't make a decision for at least a week or two,” Gosden Sr said.

“She was in top form today,” he added. “She showed a lot of class today there is no doubt about it. She travelled well and there was a good pace. Andre's dual Group 1 winner from Deauville was second, so it is solid form. We missed the Lockinge as she had a muscle spasm problem, so by the time we got to Royal Ascot she was only about 80% fit. She was only beaten a neck that day and she got a touch tired in the last half a furlong, but she has been faultless since.”

“There was a lot more pressure on today as she is a very good filly and the ground is quicker here than we would expect to find here in the autumn. It is real fast summer ground, but she has run absolutely superbly and I couldn't be more pleased. One lady will decide if she races on and that is Mrs. Thompson. That was only her fourth run this year and she is weighing the heaviest she has ever weighed.”

Pedigree Notes

Inspiral's dam Starscope was runner-up over this course and distance in the G1 1000 Guineas and also in the Coronation S. that her daughter so dominated last summer. Also responsible for the listed-placed middle-distance performer Celestran (GB) (Dansili {GB}), she is a daughter of the Stud's Moon Goddess (GB) (Rainbow Quest) whose half-siblings include the G1 Eclipse S. and G1 Juddmonte International-winning leading sire Medicean (GB). From the dynasty of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero and leading sire Caro (Ire), Starscope's unraced 2-year-old colt by Siyouni (Fr) is named Megastar (GB), while she also has a yearling colt by Ulysses (Ire) and a foal full-sister to Inspiral.

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
VIRGIN BET SUN CHARIOT S.-G1, £291,580, Newmarket, 10-7, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:35.65, g/f.
1–INSPIRAL (GB), 131, f, 4, by Frankel (GB)
     1st Dam: Starscope (GB) (MG1SP-Eng, $251,626), by Selkirk
     2nd Dam: Moon Goddess (GB), by Rainbow Quest
     3rd Dam: Mystic Goddess, by Storm Bird
O-Cheveley Park Stud; B-Cheveley Park Stud Limited (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Frankie Dettori. £165,355. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Fr, 12-8-2-0, $2,599,932. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mqse de Sevigne (Ire), 131, f, 4, Siyouni (Fr)–Penne (Fr), by Sevres Rose (Ire). O-Baron Edouard De Rothschild; B-SC Ecurie De Meautry (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. £62,690.
3–Heredia (GB), 131, f, 4, Dark Angel (Ire)–Nakuti (Ire), by Mastercraftsman (Ire).
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-St Albans Bloodstock Limited; B-St Albans Bloodstock LLP (GB); T-Richard Hannon. £31,374.
Margins: 3 3/4, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 0.91, 3.30, 6.00.
Also Ran: Coppice (GB), Meditate (Ire), Random Harvest (Ire), Roman Mist (Ire), Goldana (Ire).

The Farwell Tour script continues to write itself!

A straightforward victory for Inspiral in the Group 1 @VirginBet Sun Chariot Stakes for John & @thadygosden

A 5⃣0⃣0⃣ th win @NewmarketRace for @FrankieDettori pic.twitter.com/oFd81mcJqL

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 7, 2023

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Fortunately for Inspiral, the autumn damp has been delayed and the Gosdens' filly has ideal conditions as she returns to the course and distance of her Fillies' Mile success two years ago. “She's in good form and the ground will suit. Softer ground can dampen her finish, but I think the ground on Saturday will be perfect,” Cheveley Park's managing director Chris Richardson said. “I think the French filly is the one we've got to be worried about, but if you're not in you can't win, so let's hope Frankie can work some more magic.”

This is unlikely to be Inspiral's grand finale, however.

“She's obviously lightly-raced, so we can see after Saturday whether Mrs Thompson will consider the Breeders' Cup option as her swansong, or indeed whether she might stay in training next year, which hasn't been decided yet,” Richardson added.

Andre Fabre said of Mqse De Sevigne, “I don't think the ground is too much of a concern, maybe over this distance it might be a bit sharp for her but she has done well over this distance before. She will go for the Breeders' Cup [Filly And Mare Turf] after this.”

With two 16-1 winners in the last four years, this is never an open-and-shut case and St Albans Bloodstock's Heredia (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is exactly the kind of progressive type which this late-season race favours. Her wins in the Listed Dick Hern S. at Haydock in August and G3 Atalanta S. at Sandown last month saw her back to the form of her success in Royal Ascot's Sandringham H. last year and she showed she handled faster ground there.

“Richard Hannon has been really pleased with her since Sandown, she has bounced out of that race,” the owners's racing manager Richard Brown said. “We took our time and said we would only do it if you were completely happy and Richard says she has never been better, so we're happy to take a chance.”

Lupini Waits On Ground For Kitty Rose Staffordstown Bid…
One of Irish racing's big stories of 2023, the Natalia Lupini-trained unbeaten filly Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}) is one of the main attractions on Saturday's Curragh card. Impressive when stamping her class on an up-to-scratch renewal of Leopardstown's Listed Ingabelle S. last month, she will line up for the G3 Staffordstown Stud S. if the ground is suitable according to her handler.

“She has been in good form and she's ready to run, the only thing is we're monitoring the ground as we had a lot of rain yesterday and today,” Lupini said of the revelation, who is set to be re-opposed in the mile contest by the Ingabelle runner-up Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Cork maiden winner Unreasonable (Ire) (No Nay Never). “We'll just have to keep a close eye on the ground as she probably doesn't want it too soft, so we're not going to run her on very soft ground. She seems to have stepped up a gear in her work since Leopardstown and everything looks good apart from the weather, unfortunately! The current owners are thinking this will be her last run of the year. She's a big filly and she will definitely benefit from a winter break.”

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In addition, Virgin Bet will also sponsor three more races on the card, as it expands its sponsorship portfolio across The Jockey Club. The company already sponsors races at Exeter, Kempton Park, Sandown Park and Wincanton. Part of the QIPCO British Champions Series, the Sun Chariot is the first Group 1 Flat race sponsored by Virgin Bet.

Virgin Bet Marketing Director, Ric Leask, said, “We are hugely excited to expand our partnership with The Jockey Club and support this prestigious contest through the sponsorship of the G1 Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket's Rowley Mile.

“The Sun Chariot S., with its rich history and exceptional line-up of past winners, perfectly aligns with Virgin Bet's commitment to top-tier horseracing.”

Sophie Able, Newmarket Racecourses and International Director at The Jockey Club, said, “We are delighted to welcome Virgin Bet to Newmarket and are thrilled to be strengthening our partnership with them with such a prestigious contest, which will be worth a record £275,000 in 2023.”

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The 4-year-old filly captured the G1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Aug. 13 in her most recent start, which secured her spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November. The Sun Chariot provides a four-week lead into the Breeders' Cup.

“She's in good form and we are probably favouring Newmarket and the Sun Chariot is a possible race for her,” Richardson said. “I suppose it really depends on what she is going to do next year. If she is going to retire, I can see her going to America and retiring, but if she was to stay in training then I don't know, and maybe she will make the Breeders' Cup, but it would depend on what Mrs Thompson would like to do.”

Additionally, Cheveley Park's Group 2 winner Sacred (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) could also make the trip to California, but will have to improve off her fifth-place finish in the G2 City Of York S. on Aug. 26.

“We now know she just does not want to perform at York,” Richardson said of the William Haggas trainee. “She was in great form going in there but she was never happy.

“Tom [Marquand] came back and said she went down unhappy, was unsettled in the stalls and just took a hold and was never prepared to put her best foot forward. We've got various options and the Breeders' Cup is a thought. At the moment it is at the back of our minds when we were hoping it would be at the forefront.

“We might go back for the Listed race at Newbury which she won last year. That could be another opportunity for her.”

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Undefeated in all of her 2023 starts, the 'TDN Rising Star' landed a pair of Meydan conditions races in January and February, before striking by a half-length in the Newmarket Classic on May 7. A Group 2 winner last year, she missed Royal Ascot due to an infection, and she is also being considered for the GI First Lady S. at Keeneland the same weekend as the Sun Chariot.

“She's doing well,” said bin Suroor. “I've given her an entry in the Sun Chariot or the same week there's a race for her at Keeneland.

“Those are what we are looking at for her, those two races. We'll see which one closer to the time. The Sun Chariot is obviously closer [to home].”

Long term, the half-sister to multiple Grade I winner Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is a candidate for the Breeders' Cup in November.

“The Breeders' Cup is our big aim for this year, she's not a big filly so a track like Keeneland will be perfect. She'll stay in training next year, which is good news.”

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McCalmont said, “All is good with Prosperous Voyage and we're heading to Deauville on Aug. 2 for the Prix Rothschild.

“The Sun Chariot is not until the second half of October, so I don't think we're going to wait that long. I would hope she'll have at least one more run if not two.

“For sure she definitely handles the track at Newmarket very well, so you could see why that [Sun Chariot] would be the long-term aim.”

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“Billesdon Brook is going to Dubawi, I know it's expensive but I think she deserves it, so I'm just waiting for her to be ready to go off to Newmarket,” owner Jeanette McCreery told Racing Post of the 2018 G1 1000 Guineas heroine. “I'd always thought I'd send her to Dubawi, I think he's a wonderful stallion so I thought 'why not', she deserves the best. She hurt herself in the last race she ran in, it was very wet in the Sun Chariot. She's been home, had box rest, now she's out in the paddock and is fine, so we've something to look forward to in a couple of years anyway.”

A winner of seven of her 26 starts with 10 more placed runs and earnings of $982,087, the chestnut also scored in a trio of Group 3s.

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