NEWS
Head-Maarek goes for fourth Cheveley Park win
Posted: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 3:11 PM
by Tim Nichols
Trainer Criquette Head-Maarek will seek her fourth Electrolux Cheveley Park Stakes (Eng-G1) victory in three decades on Friday when she sends out Special Duty at Newmarket.
Head-Maarek captured the six-furlong race for two-year-old fillies with English and French champions Ma Biche in 1982 and Ravinella in ’87 and European champion Pas De Reponse in ’96. To win a fourth Cheveley Park Stakes, Special Duty must outrun a tough field of eight juvenile fillies that includes four group stakes winners.
“Special Duty is very well,” Head-Maarek told Racing Post. “The ground will be no problem to her; she will be happy on any ground.”
Khalid Abdullah’s Special Duty enters the Cheveley Park off a runner-up finish by a neck to Arcano in the Darley Prix Morny (Fr-G1) at Deauville on August 23. Prior to the Prix Morny, the Hennessy filly won the Prix Robert Papin (Fr-G2) by 1½ lengths.
“Her form with Arcano looks very good,” Head-Maarek told Racing Post. “She is a nice filly and has done extremely well since her last race. There are nine runners and it looks to be a good race, as always.”
Godolphin’s Sand Vixen will test Special Duty as she enters off a one-length victory in the Polypipe Flying Childers Stakes (Eng-G2) on September 11 at Doncaster. The Dubawi filly, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, has won three of her last four starts.
Multiple group stakes winner Lady of the Desert enters with three wins in four career starts. Trained by Brian Meehan, the Rahy filly won the Princess Margaret Abu Dhabi Stakes (Eng-G3) at Ascot prior to a three-length victory in the Jaguar Cars Lowther Stakes (Eng-G2) in her most recent start on August 20 at York.
English Group 2 winner Misheer finished ninth of ten in the Childers Stakes in her most recent start. Prior to the Childers, Misheer won three of four starts, including the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cherry Hinton Stakes (Eng-G2) on July 8 at Newmarket.
Other entrants include Albany Stakes (Eng-G3) winner Habaayib as well as listed stakes winners Shamandar, who has finished either first or second in her five career starts, and Song of My Heart.
Tim Nichols is internet content editor of Thoroughbred Times
