Sun Chariot Stakes Tips & Odds

A Group 1 race for fillies and mares aged three and over, the Sun Chariot regularly proves to be a lively betting heat, and you can find the odds here...

Sun Chariot Stakes Tips

You can check out our Sun Chariot Stakes tips here...

What is the Sun Chariot Stakes? 

The Sun Chariot Stakes is a Group 1 race for fillies and mares aged three and up, and is run over a trip of one mile at Newmarket at the beginning of October each season. Three-year-olds have a tremendous record in the race, failing to win it on just ten occasions since it was incepted in 1966. 

Punters have enjoyed a good spell in the Sun Chariot Stakes, with six favourites obliging this decade. The race was originally held on the same day as the Cambridgeshire Handicap at the same course, but was switched to a meeting a week later back in 2014.  

What happened in the 2023 Sun Chariot Stakes? 

John & Thady Gosden's Inspiral was a runaway winner of the Sun Chariot Stakes in 2023, as the 10/11 favourite pulled over three lengths clear of the second placed Mqse De Sevigne at Newmarket.

The history of the Sun Chariot Stakes 

Established in 1966, the Sun Chariot Stakes was originally run over a distance of ten furlongs (one mile and two furlongs) and was open to just three-year-olds, before being opened up to older fillies and mares in 1974. The race is named after Sun Chariot, who won the fillies' Triple Crown in 1942, when all three of the races were held at Newmarket due to World War Two.

The race remained at ten furlongs for the remainder of the century, before being reduced to a mile in 2000. It was soon promoted to Group 1 status in 2004, when Attraction came out on top for the Mark Johnston team. The most recent change to the race came in 2014, when it was switched from the Cambridgeshire Meeting at the same track to a fixture one week later. 

Who is the most iconic winner of the Sun Chariot Stakes? 

The Sun Chariot Stakes has a rich history and has been won by some excellent horses since it was first run in 1966.

The race tends to be won by a top-drawer filly, especially since it was promoted to Group 1 level in 2004, but there is no doubt that the stand-out name on the roll of honour is Saphresa. Unraced as a two-year-old, Saphresa hit the headlines in 2009 when winning the Newmarket race for the first time at a price of 16/1.

The Rod Collet-trained star was far shorter when winning at 9/2 the following season, and was 13/8 for her third and final victory in the race in 2011. The French star always seemed to save her best for October in Suffolk with her hat-trick of victories ensuring she remains a legend of the Sun Chariot.

Are there any trials for the Sun Chariot Stakes? 

Considering the excellent record that three-year-olds have in the race, it seems logical to keep an eye on the classic generation throughout the season. The 1000 Guineas is a solid starting point, and several key players from the 2018 Guineas went on to take their chance in the Sun Chariot later in the season. Other races of interest include the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket and the Prix Rothschild at Deauville. The older fillies and mares could also use the Falmouth and the Rothschild as push-off points, while the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot is another race of interest. 

Who is the most successful jockey in the Sun Chariot Stakes? 

The most successful jockey in the history of the Sun Chariot Stakes is the great Lester Piggott, who rode the winner of the race on six occasions. Piggott's six Sun Chariot wins came courtesy of Popkins (1970), Cheveley Princess (1973), Swiss Maid (1978), Topsy (1979), Snow (1980) and Home On The Range (1981).

Who is the most successful trainer in the Sun Chariot Stakes? 

The most successful trainer in the history of the Sun Chariot Stakes is Luca Cumani, with six wins. Cumani's six wins in the Sun Chariot Stakes came courtesy of Free Guest (1984 & 1985), Infamy (1987), Red Slippers (1992), Once So Wonderful (1997) and Kissogram (1998).