Can Great Generation give weight all round to repeat last year's Group 3 success?

Only six turn up for this year's Chartwell Fillies' Stakes and it is a tough race in which to find a foothold.

In races over the straight turf course at Lingfield, the stands' rail is the place to be. But there is no clear pace bias to go with that and, with such a small field this year, how much the draw will matter is questionable.

There are also few clues in the age profile of winners. Three of the last ten winners have been aged three. If you calculate expected winners giving all runners an equal chance, three is a very slight overperformance. Factor in starting prices and it becomes a very slight underperformance. No signal here.

This race presents a good opportunity to land a Group 3. Take out Sacred's win on the Polytrack in 2023 and the average winning Racing Post Rating in the race has been just 105. That is the level of a classy handicapper.

Knowing that the bar is low is encouraging to Cathedral's chances. She is a serious unknown quantity, although her reputation has preceded her since she fetched €800,000 at the breeze-ups a year ago. On her debut, she easily won a maiden on the Polytrack here. Five weeks later she was a half-length second in the Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket, when despite her inexperience she was sent off favourite.

Anyone who helped her go off at those odds ought to be getting tucked into the 2-1 available about Cathedral post-declarations for this race. She holds some fancy entries and would need to be winning this to justify them if she is anything like fit.

Spiritual and Great Generation could pose the main threat. The former has run her best races on softer ground at stiffer tracks, while Great Generation won this race last year so will clearly be at home. She was overfaced in an open-sex Group 2 on her final start last season, but a race like the Chartwell is evidently more her level.
Analysis by Keith Melrose

What they say

Marco Botti, trainer of Great Generation
She won the race last year in different circumstances, as a three-year-old getting weight. This year, she's the one giving weight as we've got a penalty. She's done extremely well physically over the winter, she looks stronger. Hopefully, the ground will be good to firm. The race has cut up a bit but it still looks a good field.

Richard Hughes, trainer of Fair Angellica
I’m really pleased with her and we’re hoping for a big run.

Roger Varian, trainer of Jabaara
She ran better in America last time than her form figure would suggest. She was caught a little wide and the ground was a bit loose for her. We have drawn nicely [stall six] and a return to seven furlongs on turf is where she has shown her best form.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Spiritual
The fillies are just coming to hand now and she has been pleasing us in her work of late. This looks a good starting point to her season.

Tim Palin, racing manager to Middleham Park Racing, owners of Ziggy's Dream
We’re not particularly well in on weight and measures, but two things she's got going for her is quick ground and ten furlongs. We think both of those suit her particularly well, and she enhanced her CV at Meydan.

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Cathedral
She's trained well of late and this looks a good starting point for her.
Reporting by Sadie Iddenden

Saturday's big-race insight:

1.15 Lingfield: Aidan O'Brien has word of warning for favourite backers as Giselle begins her potential route to the Oaks 

1.35 Haydock: Superb Swinton shows the jumps is back - and there's no Willie Mullins to beat this time on a marvellous mixed Merseyside card 

2.40 Ascot: 'This will play to his strengths' - top trainers assess the Victoria Cup at Ascot 

3.00 Lingfield: Aidan O'Brien poised to sweep another Derby trial - but British trainer says there is 'plenty to like' about his contender 

3.15 Ascot: An above-average running of a competitive handicap - so can the unbeaten favourite be taken on? 

4.20 Naas: Has Wayne Lordan made the right decision on the Ballydoyle trio in the Oaks Trial? 

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