The Sun Chariot Stakes is a
Group 1 flat horse race
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...
in Great Britain open to
fillies
A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use:
*In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old.
*In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, ...
and
mare
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than f ...
s aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at
Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October.
History
The event is named after
Sun Chariot
A solar deity or sun deity is a deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it. Such deities are usually associated with power and strength. Solar deities and Sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The ...
, the fillies'
Triple Crown winner in 1942. Due to war, that year's Triple Crown races were all staged at Newmarket.
The Sun Chariot Stakes was established in 1966. It was originally contested by three-year-old fillies over 1 mile and 2 furlongs.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Sun Chariot Stakes was classed at Group 2 level. It was opened to older fillies and mares in 1974.
The race was cut to a mile in 2000, and promoted to Group 1 status in 2004.
The Sun Chariot Stakes was held on the final day of Newmarket's three-day Cambridgeshire Meeting, the same day as the
Cambridgeshire Handicap, but was moved to a fixture a week later from 2014.
Records
Most successful horse (3 wins):
*
Sahpresa
Sahpresa (foaled 11 February 2005) is an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning three consecutive runnings of the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. Sahpresa was unraced as a ...
– ''2009, 2010, 2011''
Leading
jockey (6 wins):
*
Lester Piggott
Lester Keith Piggott (5 November 1935 – 29 May 2022) was an English professional jockey and trainer. With 4,493 career flat racing wins in Britain, including a record nine Epsom Derby victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest ...
– ''Popkins (1970), Cheveley Princess (1973), Swiss Maid (1978), Topsy (1979), Snow (1980), Home on the Range (1981)''
Leading
trainer (6 wins):
*
Luca Cumani – ''Free Guest (1984, 1985), Infamy (1987), Red Slippers (1992), One So Wonderful (1997), Kissogram (1998)''
Leading owner (3 wins):
* Budgie Moller – ''Popkins (1970), Cheveley Princess (1973), Topsy (1979)''
*
Sheikh Mohammed – ''Indian Skimmer (1988), Red Slippers (1992), La Confederation (1994)''
*
Tabor
Tabor may refer to:
Places
Czech Republic
* Tábor, a town in the South Bohemian Region
** Tábor District, the surrounding district
* Tábor, a village and part of Velké Heraltice in the Moravian-Silesian Region
Israel
* Mount Tabor, Galil ...
/ Smith /
Magnier - ''Halfway To Heaven (2008), Alice Springs (2016), Roly Poly (2017)''
Winners
See also
*
Horse racing in Great Britain
*
List of British flat horse races
References
* Paris-Turf:
**, , , , , , ,
*
Racing Post
''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting publisher which is published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of ...
:
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galopp-sieger.de– ''Sun Chariot Stakes.''
horseracingintfed.com– ''International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Sun Chariot Stakes (2018).''
pedigreequery.com– ''Sun Chariot Stakes – Newmarket.''
*
{{British Champions Series, state=uncollapsed
Flat races in Great Britain
Newmarket Racecourse
Mile category horse races for fillies and mares
Recurring sporting events established in 1966
British Champions Series