Estrange to be targeted at Arc next season

The Cheveley Park Stud team are excited to see what Estrange can achieve next season after confirming she will stay in training following her fine effort in defeat on Champions Day.

David O’Meara’s grey looked every inch a top-class filly in the making after winning four of her first five starts and she was far from disgraced in finishing second to the British and Irish Oaks heroine and subsequent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Minnie Hauk in the Yorkshire Oaks in August.

Estrange herself was in line for a tilt at the Arc before an unsatisfactory scope scuppered her participation and she was instead rerouted to the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot, in which she finished a gallant second to the defending champion Kalpana.

Having rounded off her four-year-old campaign by picking up silver medals in successive Group Ones, connections are hoping she can go one better at the highest level next term, with a possible trip to Paris in 12 months’ time again on the agenda.

Reflecting on her Ascot performance, Cheveley Park Stud’s managing director Chris Richardson said: “Obviously we would have liked a little bit more rain but it wasn’t to be and being drawn in stall one wasn’t ideal, but we were delighted she was able to put her best foot forwards under the circumstances.

“It was another Group One placing and we look forward to 2026 – that’s the plan. She’s pretty lightly-raced really, so she deserves to be allowed to continue dazzling the punters on the racecourse with her intriguing colour!

“This year was against us weather-wise, maybe conditions will be different next year and we’ll maybe target the Arc again.

“Let’s hope there’s more to come from her. We do this quite often with fillies (keep them in training) and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but she’s got the credentials to have an above average chance anyway.”