Group Three Chartwell Fillies' Stakes Lingfield Guide 2023

Saeed bin Suroor sends his six-year-old White Moonlight to the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield on Saturday with the mare on the back of a couple of decent runs at Meydan this year. She finished second on both occasions, a neck behind stablemate Soft Whisper in January and just under a length behind With The Moonlight in Group Two Cape Verdi Stakes last time out.

They were here best efforts since winning her first two starts back in 2019 at Kempton and Newmarket and more could come here. Better form than her 2022 form in the UK is required if she is to mount a challenge for victory in this contest, against grouped winners.

William Haggas sends two of his runners to the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes in the form of Queen Aminatu and Sacred. The latter arrives here as the current market favourite at around 5/4, with the five-year-old making his seasonal reappearance after 218 days off the track.

The mare finished second on his last appearance last term, just over a length behind Pogo in a group two at Newmarket after winning Listed event at Newbury last September. She had a bit of an indifferent 2022, winning that Newbury contest but not really troubling the leaders in grouped company on other occasions, including fifth in Group Two Lennox Stakes won by fellow runner Sandrine.

If she’s back on song on reappearance she will be the one to beat and Ryan Moore will do the steering here.

Andrew Balding has one here in the form of Sandrine, a four-year-old filly who had a decent 2022, boasting career-best 11-runner Group Two Lennox Stakes at Goodwood in July (Sacred in fifth). She finished third on a couple of occasions in some good company at the likes of York and Newmarket but ended the season with a ninth-place finish in a group one at ParisLongchamp.

Hasn’t been in the same form as she was in 2021 but she should be in with a shout here after 223 days off the track. Oisin Murphy does the steering.

Five-year-old Nizaaka is sent to this Lingfield contest on Saturday by trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam, who employs Marco Ghiani to ride here. The mare hasn’t been in the best form in 2023, finishing outside the top three on all three runs at Meydan since the turn of the year, including fifth-place finish in January in event where fellow runner White Moonlight finished second.

She hasn’t won since going on a three-run unbeaten streak last year at Newmarket (twice) and Sandown and may find a few too strong at this level. Would be an unlikely winner.

Four-year-old Love Interest makes her first appearance here at Lingfield for trainer David O’Meara in the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes, searching for her first win since her debut back in 2021 at Newcastle. She has done ok in listed events since, finishing third at York and fourth at Ascot but has been a long way off the pace in a couple of listed races in France at Chantilly and ParisLonghamp.

The four-year-old makes her seasonal reappearance here after 202 days off the track and requires a lot of improvement if she is to spring a shock here. Rob Hornby does the steering.

William Haggas has two in this contest with the favourite Sacred and Queen Aminatu. The latter arrives here after already having a couple of runs this season, winning seven-runner Newcastle class two by just over a length before finishing seventh in a group three over seven furlongs at Curragh earlier this month.

That run ended a three-run unbeaten streak for her (wins here, Deauville and Newcastle) and she hasn’t managed to turn listed form into grouped form when thrust into this sort of company. Is a course winner a couple of times here so must be respected and William Buick is on board.

Karl Burke has one here, with his three-year-old Secret Angel making her first appearance at Lingfield in her career. She had a decent debut year in 2022, winning three times at Carlisle, York and Deauville, which is her best effort to date, winning a listed event by a neck to the 15/8fav Kerindia. Third on reappearance this year in the Group Three Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket suggests there could more to come from her.

She wasn’t far off the top two in that race which does provide encouragement for the race here, given that she’s already raced in 2023. Sam James will do the steering here.

Richard Hughes has one in the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes with his three-year-old Candle Of Hope, who makes her third start of 2023 after finishing sixth here back in March and fourth in listed event at Goodwood last weekend. The filly hasn’t won since winning her first two starts at class four and five level at Thirsk and Newbury respectively and has generally struggled at this level so far.

The 91-rated sprinter has work to do here if she is to be involved in the latter stages. An unlikely winner here.