2024 Cheveley Park Stakes Result and Replay - Lake Victoria bolts up at Newmarket

Two important Group One races for juveniles took place at Newmarket today, starting with a clash between two unbeaten fillies in the Cheveley Park Stakes.

Babouche brought the best form to the table, having beaten Middle Park favourite Whistlejacket in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes. Yet, Ger Lyon's filly was very weak in the market during the build-up, drifting from 11/10 right out to 9/4 just before the off.

Aidan O'Brien's Lake Victoria extended her own unbeaten record with an impressive victory in the Moyglare Stud Stakes earlier this month and Ryan Moore's mount was backed into favouritism ahead of Babouche. Patrice Cottier's raider, Daylight was also supported heavily after being confirmed in the contest, and the Prix Morny favourite entered the stalls as the strong third-favourite.

Maiden winner, Rayevka also made the trip over from France to enter her first Group One. Ed Walker's Lowther Stakes winner Celandine was friendless in the market, with Leovanni and Arabian Dusk - winners of the Queen Mary and Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes respectively - jumping ahead of her in the market.

Ryan Moore and Lake Victoria were quickly away from stall seven. Colin Keane and Babouche tracked the new favorite in the early stages, with Rayevka completing the trio in the stand's group.

Celandine headed the second group down the centre of the track. Arabian Dusk and Leovanni were positioned behind Celandine, with Daylight travelling powerfully at the rear of that quartet.

Entering the dip, the two groups merged together and Moore kicked Lake Victoria into the lead. Colin Keane asked Babouche to track that move, but Lyon's raider couldn't find that change of gear and eventually faded out of contention.

Daylight made stealthy progress, but had her run checked by Arabian Dusk, who drifted towards the centre from her position on the shoulder of the field. However, neither came close to catching Lake Victoria, who bounded into a two length lead and saw out the trip strongly to claim her second Group One victory.

Daylight made up some late ground to finish second ahead of Arabian Dusk. Babouche returns to Ireland with her unbeaten record in tatters, with Keane citing soft ground as the reason for her poor display. Leovanni, Rayevka and Celandine hardly featured.

Moore intimated after the race that Lake Victoria could head to the Breeders' Cup, where she's sure to carry a short price into the Juvenile Fillies' Turf. Bet365 were impressed enough to cut Lake Victoria into 11/4 for next year's 1000 Guineas, having quoted odds of 12/1 on the morning of the Cheveley Park.