Chesham Stakes y2o71
 QuinnBet
Listed, Ascot 14:30
£110,000 guaranteed,
2yo only,
7f, Class 1  
Saturday 21st June 2025

412l67

Moments Of Joy could yet be destined for the grand stage of Royal Ascot, after proving too streetwise for her better-backed stablemate Minerva in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Leopardstown on June 5 – a race that offered both promise and plenty of food for thought for Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle battalion.

All eyes, quite understandably, had been drawn to the impeccably bred Minerva, a £1.5 million daughter of Frankel, sent off the 8-15 favourite under Ryan Moore in what was meant to be a formality of a debut. But from the moment the gates opened, it was clear that the newcomer had brought ability but left her racing nous back in the paddock – green as spring grass and never truly travelling with fluency.

In contrast, it was Moments Of Joy, by Justify and sent off a 3-1 shot under the ever-measured Wayne Lordan, who showed the cool head and sharper race sense. She stalked the pace, travelled smoothly, and when the question was asked in the straight, she knuckled down and fended off the late challenge of Little Sure Shot with a display of determination that belied her inexperience. Half a length was the verdict – a measured winning margin, but one that didn’t fully reflect her superiority on the day.

Minerva, the eye-catcher for all the wrong reasons early, did eventually begin to hit stride late on, staying on to finish third, four lengths adrift – a performance that will have taught her more in one afternoon than a dozen gallops at home.

Speaking post-race, Ballydoyle’s Chris Armstrong gave a nuanced assessment:

“Aidan felt they were two lovely fillies – neither had ever been away before. Ryan’s filly was very green, even in the parade ring. But he liked the feel of her late on – the penny’s starting to drop. Wayne’s filly was more professional throughout. They went a good clip, and it sorted them out early. She’s a big, scopey type and we could see her step up in trip – maybe even the Chesham at Ascot.”

 

Cleeve Racing £10 trial

Chesham Stakes
£110,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 7f, Class 1
entries
Going:

 

CHESHAM STAKES WINNERS

YEAR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY OWNER AGE/WGT SP

2024 BEDTIME STORY A P O'Brien Ryan Moore Derrick Smith & Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor 2 9-00 11/8F
2023 SNELLEN Gavin Cromwell Gary Carroll Lindsay Laroche 2 9-00 12/1
2022 HOLLOWAY BOY Karl Burke Daniel Tudhope Nick White & Elaine Burke 2-9-05 40/1
2021 POINT LONSDALE A P O'Brien Ryan Moore D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, Westerberg 2-9-03 10/11F
2020 BATTLEGROUND Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier 2-9-03 11/4F
2019 PINATUBO Charlie Appleby James Doyle Godolphin 2-9-03 3/1
2018 ARTHUR KITT Tom Dascombe Richard Kingscote Chasemore Farm 2-9-03 13/2
2017 SEPTEMBER Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith 2-8-12 11/8F
2016 CHURCHILL Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier 2-9-03 8/11F
2015 SUITS YOU Eoghan O’Neill FR Cristian Demuro Mrs M O’Neill & A Solomon 2-9-03 14/1
2014 RICHARD PANKHURST John Gosden William Buick Rachel Hood 2-9-03 10/1
2013 BERKSHIRE Paul Cole Jim Crowley HRH Sultan Ahmad Shah 2-9-03 16/1
2012 THA’IR Saeed bin Suroor Frankie Dettori Godolphin 2-9-03 9/2
11/18/06 MAYBE Aidan O’Brien IRE Ryan Moore Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier 2-8-12 5/2F
10/19/06 ZAIDAN Clive Brittain Seb Sanders Saeed Manana 2-9-03 7/1
09/20/06 BIG AUDIO Richard Hannon snr Richard Hughes Michael Pescod 2-9-03 22/1
08/21/06 FREE AGENT Richard Hannon snr Richard Hughes H M The Queen 2-9-03 7/2JF
07/23/06 MAZE Bryan Smart Royston Ffrench Pinnacle Dr Fong Partnership 2-9-03 11/2
06/24/06 CHAMPLAIN Michael Jarvis Philip Robinson Sheikh Mohammed 2-9-03 7/2
*05/14/06 CHAMPIONSHIP POINT Mick Channon Ted Durcan John Livock Bloodstock Ltd 2-9-00 4/1
04/19/06 WHAZZAT Barry Hills Michael Hills Bill Gredley 2-8-07 7/1
03/18/06 PEARL OF LOVE Mark Johnston Darryll Holland Mick Doyle 2-9-00 11/10F
02/19/06 HELM BANK Mark Johnston Keith Dalgleish Gary & Lesley Middlebrook 2-9-00 25/1
01/20/06 SEBA David Loder Frankie Dettori Sheikh Mohammed 2-8-09 3/1F
00/21/06 CELTIC SILENCE Mark Johnston Kieren Fallon Peter Savill 2-8-12 15/8F
99/17/06 BACH Aidan O’Brien IRE Michael Kinane Satish Sanan and Sue Magnier 2-8-12 5/2
98/18/06 RHAPSODIST John Gosden Frankie Dettori Sheikh Mohammed 2-8-12 6/1
97/19/06 CENTRAL PARK Paul Cole Frankie Dettori Fahd Salman 2-9-00 7/1
96/20/06 SHAMIKH Saeed bin Suroor Richard Hills Hamdan Al Maktoum 2-8-12 8/1
95/22/06 WORLD PREMIER Clive Brittain Brett Doyle Maureen Brittain 2-9-02 6/1
94/16/06 MONTJOY Paul Cole Richard Quinn Sir George Meyrick 2-8-12 5/1
93/17/06 STATE PERFORMER Peter Chapple-Hyam John Reid Robert Sangster 2-9-00 8/13F
92/18/06 HUMAM Tom Jones Richard Hills Hamdan Al Maktoum 2-8-12 2/1F
91/20/06 FAIR COP Paul Cole Alan Munro Fahd Salman 2-8-12 7/2JF
90/21/06 CHICARICA John Gosden Pat Eddery Sheikh Mohammed 2-8-07 10/11F
89/22/06 BE MY CHIEF Henry Cecil Steve Cauthen Peter Burrell 2-8-12 2/5F
88/16/06 JACAMAR Ben Hanbury Bruce Raymond Omar Zawawi 2-8-12 50/1
87/18/06 LAPIERRE Clive Brittain Steve Cauthen Mrs J M Khan 2-8-12 9/1
86/19/06 MINSTRELLA Charlie Nelson John Reid Edward P Evans 2-8-08 10/1
85/20/06 BAKHAROFF Guy Harwood Greville Starkey Khalid Abdullah 2-8-11 EvensF
84/21/06 OLD BAILEY Guy Harwood Greville Starkey Mrs C B Thompson 2-8-11 15/8F
83/16/06 HEAD FOR HEIGHTS Richard Hannon snr Greville Starkey John Horgan 2-8-11 11/2
82/17/06 RIGHT DANCER Paul Kelleway Lester Piggott Norman Mandell 2-8-08 6/4F
81/18/06 CAJUN Henry Cecil Lester Piggott James Stone 2-8-11 10/11F
80/19/06 KIRTLING Harry Wragg Pat Eddery Eric Moller 2-8-11 5/1
79/21/06 STAR WAY Paul Kelleway Lester Piggott Mrs L Glaser 2-8-11 9/4F
78/22/06 MAIN REEF Henry Cecil Joe Mercer Jim Joel 2-8-11 8/15F
77/16/06 SOOKERA Dermot Weld IRE Walter Swinburn Robert Sangster 2-8-08 7/2
*run at York

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