Vorda showcases 1000 Guineas potential in Cheveley Park win

Saturday’s 114th running of the Cheveley Park Stakes could, as usual, have provided plenty of clues for next year’s 1000 Guineas.

At least that’s what Philippe Sogorb, the rookie trainer of the unheralded but impressive winner Vorda, will be hoping following a performance which established his charge as one of the leading two-year-old thoroughbred fillies.

A day after Miss France, from the much more established stable of French legend Andre Fabre, showcased her claims for next year’s renewal of the Classic with a Group 3 win, Vorda was able to strike a blow for the little guy with a Group 1 success.

Both fillies are now priced at 8/1 for next year’s 1000 Guineas, tucked just in behind the 6/1 favourite Tapestry.

But the pair could hardly have more differing backgrounds, with Miss France coming from Fabre’s base of winners, whilst Vorda is under the care of a man in his first season as a trainer following a career as an average jockey.

“When I bought her [Vorda] last year,” said Sogorb, “I thought she would be one for low-grade early two-year-old races.

“I never imagined then that she would become a Group 1 winner. Now my regret is that I stopped being a jockey in February and so I cannot ride her myself in races.”

Olivier Peslier did the honours on Saturday, as he piloted the two-year-old to a victory by three-and-a-quarter lengths.

Both he and Sogorb will now be looking ahead to next May, when Vorda will attempt to become the first horse to do the Cheveley Park-1000 Guineas double since Special Duty in 2009-10.

Stephane Pasquier’s filly was the second to achieve such a feat in three years following Natagora in 2007-08, with Vorda looking good to follow suit.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publication