Hopes high for ‘ultimate professional’ Royal Fixation in Cheveley Park

Royal Fixation is out to confirm the very favourable impression she created at York in the Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

Trained by Ed Walker and owned by the relatively new syndicate of Opulence Racing, the filly looked the real deal when winning the Lowther Stakes last time out.

Walker immediately put this Group One forward as her next port of call and she has not missed a beat in the interim, just as she barely has all year, with her only defeat coming behind the top-class Venetian Sun in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes.

“I think she deserves to be favourite. I’ve had the discussion with our owners already, but for a syndicate that has only been going five years she can be described as the horse of a lifetime,” said Ed Brown, racing and communications manager for the syndicate.

“She’s the ultimate professional at home, does everything right and I thought her run in the Lowther was exceptional.

“I got a video off Ed Walker four or five days later of her bucking and kicking. He he said with the good horses they get back to the yard after a race like nothing has ever happened. Her preparation couldn’t have gone any better.

“I think we’re taking the best part of 20 owners with us so it’s going to be a fantastic day for everyone involved.”

Brown added: “She’s been very straightforward to train and it’s a huge plus having William Buick on board as he knows her very well.

“Aidan O’Brien has two legitimate contenders, but we’ve got the favourite, I just hope the owners realise it won’t always be as good as this, for most of them this is only their first or second horse.

“Whatever happens this is likely to be her last run of the year. With a horse like this you might dream of the Breeders’ Cup, but this has always been the aim and having never had a Group winner before the Lowther, this would cap off a fantastic year for us.”

Walker said: “She’s great, everything has gone well since York. She’s going to need to step up again, but she’s really well and it’s very exciting. The ground has been kind and the weather has been kind. She wouldn’t want it too soft, I wouldn’t have thought.”

A length behind Royal Fixation at York as Richard Hughes’ America Queen and the former champion jockey is keen to have another crack.

“We are really pleased with her, we couldn’t be happier,” said Hughes.

“I know she didn’t beat much (on debut), but not many win the way she did the first time out over six furlongs. She ran a bit green in the Lowther and Ryan (Moore) had to commit a tiny bit earlier than he ideally wanted to.

“She has to find a length with Royal Fixation, but she has improved again and I expect them to be much closer together.

“I’m very confident of a big run and I’m buzzing about it. I think she will run a huge race and she will definitely go close.”

The aforementioned O’Brien runs Queen Mary winner True Love (Wayne Lordan) and Moyglare runner-up Beautify (Tom Marquand).

“True Love was second in the Heinz (Phoenix Stakes) last time and we’ve been happy with her since. We possibly ran her in the wrong race that weekend as we had been thinking about taking her to Deauville (Prix Morny),” said O’Brien.

“So it didn’t go completely to plan, but we’ve been very happy with her.

“Beautify ran a nice race in the Moyglare, that was over seven but she won over six the time before and she seems to have been in good form as well. Hopefully they’ll both run well.”

O’Brien’s son Donnacha was aboard his father’s Fairyland when she won in 2018 and also saddled Porta Fortuna to win the race as a trainer two years ago.

He holds claims once again with Havana Anna, who scooped Listed honours at Naas before going close at ParisLongchamp late last month.

O’Brien said: “She’s in great form and has trained really well since her run in France.

“We’re going back up to six furlongs and probably all her best form is over five, but she’s won a Listed race and was unlucky not to win a Group race last time, so we decided to give her a shot at a big one.

“It’ll be the toughest race she’s run in, but she’s training really well and I’d be hoping for a good performance from her.”