"Now All We've Got to do is Win!" says Haggas

08/07/2023

About this Event

Eight horses will clash this Sunday in another highly competitive running of Chelmsford City Racecourse’s most prestigious race, The Champagne Collet Queen Charlotte Fillies’ Stakes.

The Listed contest is worth an astounding £100,000 making it the joint most valuable Listed race in the country with multi-Group 1 international superstar Highfield Princess and 1000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook winning in recent years. This year’s eight runner field will see three proven black type winners vie for victory.

The field is led by Godolphin’s 106-rated White Moonlight and is trained by last year’s winning trainer, Saeed bin Suroor. The Classic winning trainer was successful in training last year’s winner, Soft Whisper and has since been enjoying a vintage season having won the 1000 Guineas earlier this year. White Moonlight comes to Essex on the back of defeating strongly supported rival Heredia in the Listed Queen of Scots Fillies’ Stakes in June.

Heredia’s trainer, Richard Hannon, who won this race in 2019 said “This looks an ideal race for my filly and with a staggering £100,000 prize money on offer it makes the race a very attractive proposition.”

William Haggas trains Queen Aminatu for owner Anthony Oppenheimer. The filly holds an impressive rating of 105 having completed a Listed double in Great Britain and France when winning the Fleur De Lys Fillies’ Stakes and Prix Miss Satamixa at Lingfield and Deauville respectively to sign off her 3-year-old campaign. She has since been competing at Group level and connections will be confident with Tom Marquand on board.

“I’m delighted to have a runner in the Queen Charlotte Stakes at Chelmsford, a hugely valuable prize in many ways, not only in the Listed status that it carries but also the fantastic prize money, comparable to a Group 2 race at other racecourses in England, now all we’ve got to do is win!”

Potapova, winner of the Group 3 Atalanta Stakes is Cheveley Park Stud’s hope also carries a rating of 105 and is partnered by last year’s Derby winning team of Sir Michael Stoute and Richard Kingscote.

Course specialist Internationalangel completed four wins at Chelmsford in quick succession in 2021 before heading to last year’s edition of this race. The treasured mare suffered misfortune when failing to recover from a poor break, however Jane Chapple-Hyam and connections will have a first black-type win for her in their sights despite the wide draw.

The race is completed by Aramis Grey, Another Romance and Hodd’s Girl, who is the fourth Irish horse to challenge for one of Chelmsford City’s top prizes this season as it continues to increase the number of international runners it attracts.

In total 74 horses will compete for a huge £195,000 in prize-money that is on offer across seven races on Sunday, which includes two Class 3 Handicaps worth £25,000 each.

Chelmsford City Racecourse News, Moulsham Hall Lane Moulsham Hall Lane, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 1QP