Saturday Newmarket

Kingdom of Bahrain

Sun Chariot Stakes (Group 1)

JOHN Gosden’s Nazeef has been a model of consistency in Britain as she has climbed the ranks, with her only blip when racing on what her trainer called “an ice rink” in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville.

There had been heavy rain on good ground when she flopped in France, but the going was soft when she beat Billesdon Brook in the Falmouth, and any lingering doubts about her ability to show her form on testing ground were put to bed.

The daughter of Invincible Spirit battled hard to overcome a bump and reward her supporters at 17/2 under a determined ride from Jim Crowley, scoring by a length and a half from Half Light (Henri-Alex Pantall/William Buick).

Cloak Of Spirits (Richard Hannon/Andrea Atzeni) was second over this track and trip in the 1000 Guineas, and she took the field along on the heavy ground, seeming to relish the role as she had in the fillies’ classic.

She produced a career best to finish third, giving best to the winner at the furlong pole, but running on determinedly to maintain a place, just a neck behind the runner-up, who showed a tendency to hang after ceding the advantage to Nazeef.

Favourite Champers Elysees was repeatedly short of room in the last two fulongs and kept without ever-looking like getting on terms, while Aidan O’Brien’s Peaceful was most disappointing and finished last.

Engagement

It’s not clear at this stage whether Nazeef will be retired to the paddocks – as almost happened a year ago, but for John Gosden maintaining that she could win a listed race if kept in training – or whether she could take up an engagement in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on British Champions Day.

It’s intriguing that despite two defeats at the trip, Gosden is adamant that she can win a big race over 10 furlongs, so there is a hint of unfinished business in the trainer’s mind, and he may again try to persuade Sheikh Hamdan to put off her retirement until next season.

The big sales race, the six-furlong Tattersalls October Auction Stakes worth £81,165 to the winner, went in impressive style to the Les Eyre-trained Just Frank (12/1) ridden by Lewis Edmunds.

The Epaulette gelding had cost 27,000gns at Tattersalls Book 3 last year an racing prominently in the centre, he went clear from over a furlong out and kept on strongly final 110yds to win by four and a half lengths.