'She's as good as Tiggy Wiggy' - who will come out on top in the Cheveley Park?

Saturday: 2.25 Newmarket
Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (Group 1) | 6f | 2yo fillies | ITV4/RTV

How good is Meditate? We should get a better idea of that here as she looked very good when winning her first four starts, including the Albany and Debutante, but if she is that good then how good is Tahiyra? She thrashed Meditate in the Moyglare at the Curragh two weeks ago.

Meditate's performance here will tell us just as much about Tahiyra, as a win for Aidan O'Brien's filly would pay an enormous compliment to the Moyglare winner.

Trillium has equally strong form on Racing Post Ratings, with the 109 she recorded in the Flying Childers at Doncaster last time on a par with Meditate's Moyglare run. Trillium needed every yard of the five-furlong trip there and has won over six furlongs before. That was only in maiden company though, and Trillium has a habit of racing keenly so the drop to five furlongs has been the making of her. Whether she can score in Group 1 company over this longer trip is largely dependent on whether she consents to settle better.

If there is a superstar in the race it might be Lezoo. She should probably be unbeaten in four starts as her sole defeat came at the hands of the reopposing Mawj in the Duchess of Cambridge and that was a messy race in which Lezoo was undone by the tactical nature.

Lezoo got back on track by landing the Princess Margaret at Ascot, when she had the subsequent Prestige runner-up Breege well held in third, and she appears to have been trained with this race in mind by Ralph Beckett, who brings her back from a 63-day absence.

Lowther winners have landed three of the last ten runnings of this, but Swingalong isn't that high up in the market. Maybe that's because the York race has taken a few knocks, with the second Queen Me beaten at Ayr last week and Maria Branwell twice well held subsequently.

That form doesn't look as strong as it sometimes can be and Treasure Trove's Group 3 win at the Curragh could be underestimated in comparison. Paddy Twomey will be having just his ninth runner in Britain, but he is a trainer on the up and already has one winner to his name.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

Return to six furlongs expected to suit Trillium

Richard Hannon is more than hopeful that Trillium, winner of three of her four starts, can emulate the stable's Tiggy Wiggy by landing this prestigious Group 1.

Tiggy Wiggy, who possessed explosive raw speed, made all under Richard Hughes in the Cheveley Park in 2014 to beat Anthem Alexander by three-quarters of a length.

That was her eighth run of a tremendously lucrative first season that yielded six wins, and she went on to finish third in the 1,000 Guineas to Legatissimo.

Hannon believes Trillium could also develop into a Guineas filly, but sights are set firmly on the Cheveley Park at present.

"Trillium came out of her win at Doncaster very well," he said. "She had quite a hard race in the Flying Childers there, and did well to run the second down. She's won her Group 3 and Group 2, and this is the next logical step."

The Flying Childers is run over the minimum trip, and Trillium left the impression a step back up to 6f would suit when producing a strong late charge to catch 7-4 favourite The Platinum Queen, with a four-and-a-quarter-length gap to the third, Crispy Cat.

Hannon agrees. "Trillium will appreciate going back up to six furlongs," he predicted. "The way she stayed on at Doncaster gives me lots of confidence stepping back up in trip. She's grown a lot in between her races, and improved from every run."

Comparisons with Tiggy Wiggy are inevitable at this stage. "Trillium isn't as fast as Tiggy Wiggy – Tiggy was just electric – but physically she's much more impressive," Hannon said.

"I think she's as good and hopefully she can go right to the top. I was surprised that she got beat first time – she was a bit keen – but she's done very well since."

Hannon is eyeing a Classic campaign next spring with Trillium. "I think she'll go for the Fred Darling," he said. "She'll love soft ground. The way she's growing and developing she could well be a Guineas filly.

"If she's going to be a Guineas filly for next year she'll need to win this or go mightily close."

What they say

George Boughey, trainer of Malrescia
She got bumped into in the Flying Childers and was basically pulled up. She was fine afterwards and has been training well. She's got a couple of bits of black type already and it's worth giving her a shot.

Saeed bin Suroor, trainer of Mawj
I have been pleased with Mawj and her preparation. She came out of York well and we gave her a little break before getting her ready for this race, which has been her target for a long time. Six furlongs is the best distance for her at this stage of her career and the ground should suit so she has plenty in her favour.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Meditate
She hasn't done much since the Moyglare, which was only the weekend before last, but she came out of the race in good order so we decided to have a go at this. It's obviously a different track, on different ground over a different trip to the Curragh, but we think she'll cope fine with all of that. She's a lovely filly.

Karl Burke, trainer of Swingalong
She's a good filly but it's a very hot running of the Cheveley Park. She's going to have to find a bit more again to win but I think she can run a big race. She's a big filly and has got stronger and filled her frame as the year has gone on.
Reporting by Richard Birch

Saturday's race previews:

1.35 Curragh: Aidan O'Brien saddles two in bid for staggering 22nd Beresford Stakes win

1.50 Newmarket: Can Appleby's Royal Lodge luck change with classy juvenile Flying Honours?

3.00 Newmarket: 'There's more to come' - Marshman and Blackbeard face off in classy Middle Park

3.20 Curragh: 'She has a proper shout' - who wants to be a millionaire at the Curragh?

3.40 Newmarket: 'He'll run a big race' - trainers on their hopes for the Cambridgeshire

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