3 minute read
16-1 shot lands Group One feature at Newmarket
Billesdon Brook created another Group One shock at Newmarket as she claimed the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes.
Richard Hannon's charge was a 66-1 winner of the 1000 Guineas last year, but she failed to strike again in 2018, finishing down the field in this race last October.
However, the four-year-old had undergone something of a renaissance recently, winning two of her last three starts, including a Goodwood Group Three.
She was still allowed to go off a 16-1 chance in the hands of Sean Levey though, with Laurens and Hermosa sent off the joint 5-2 favourites.
That pair were in the front rank through the early stages, with Laurens setting the pace before she started to toil with a couple of furlongs to run.
Veracious looked the likely victor at that stage as she moved through smoothly to take the lead, but Billesdon Brook found plenty for Levey in the final furlong of the mile event, eventually pulling a length and a half clear at the line.
Iridessa was a further half-length back in third while defending champion Laurens was out of the frame on her final start before retiring to the paddocks.
Hannon said: "She never looked like getting beaten today. They went a good gallop and Luke Catton, who is an apprentice with us, deserves a mention as he has done a lovely job with her getting her settled. Sean (Levey) said she settled straight away.
"All the staff at Everleigh deserve a mention since she has moved there, but she has been good in both yards. She got beat on a few occasions, but today she looked extremely good and it makes you think you should be looking at other races in the autumn.
"When you win a Guineas and you get beat in races, the gloss comes off slightly – but when you go and win at Goodwood, you realise that's why you do it all and then to come back and do this today is great.
"She is always a very special filly and is a little bit different, but she did it well today. We moved her to the Everleigh yard from Herridge and we did it just before Goodwood and Beat Le Bon went the other way.
"Jeanette (McCreery, owner) is keen to travel a bit. I'm not sure about the Breeders' Cup, but we will let the dust settle. We would consider it as she won well today with good authority. She was slightly forgotten, but not anymore.
"I said to Jeanette she had a better chance today than in the Guineas. She wanted me to watch it in the paddock, but I wanted to watch on the same television inside I watched the Guineas on."
McCreery added: "She will definitely stay in training and we are going to have some fun with her."
Sir Michael Stoute was satisfied with the effort of Veracious, who was having her first run since winning the Falmouth Stakes back in July.
Stoute said: "I'm delighted with her. She run a big race and she showed she is so consistent. We could give her one more start. We will stop and chat with the connections and see how she takes this race."
