Alice Springs heads international Sun Chariot field

Alice Springs, winner of the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown this month, will have a select but strongly international field to contend with when she bids for a third Group 1 prize in Saturday's Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.

Persuasive, runner-up to Alice Springs in the Matron, is one of just five British-trained acceptors in a possible ten-strong field. The most eyecatching of the others is Arabian Queen, shock winner of the International Stakes from Golden Horn in 2015, who would be running over a mile for the first time since the Falmouth last July.

Three-time Group 1 winner Ervedya is the big name among the three French candidates, although the progressive Volta has attracted Pierre-Charles Boudot to ride in Britain rather than on the first day of the Arc meeting at Chantilly. Coral make Ervedya and Volta 4-1 joint-second favourites, the market headed by Alice Springs at a general 6-4.