Frankel's 'Fair Eva' heading to the Lowther

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Lowther next stop for Fair Eva - - (July 24th 2016)

Roger Charlton is looking to York's Lowther Stakes at the next target for Fair Eva's following her impressive victory in the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.


The Frankel filly built on her debut victory at Haydock as she powered away by four lengths to land the Group Three event over six furlongs in a time just short of a course record.

Charlton was thrilled by her performance and while she is a daughter of a Group One-winning sprinter in African Rose, the Beckhampton trainer believes her pedigree suggests a mile should be well within her compass.

He said on Sunday: "From the day she came here, we were very excited by her. She was always very professional and, as you saw yesterday, she is a wonderful mover. She needed to step up a gear but luckily her form has been well franked and she looked good.

"I think the only part of her pedigree that people might look at and say 'why would she stay further' is the fact that African Rose won the Haydock Sprint when it was run at Doncaster. She did run over eight furlongs though and won over seven furlongs.

"The family goes back and you've got Quest For Fame, who was a mile-and-a-half horse, Nijinsky, Roberto - (there's) a lot of stamina in there. It is a proper staying Juddmonte family that has produced some quick horses.

"Her half-sister by Dansili won twice over 10 furlongs so I would be as confident as you can be that she ought to get a mile."

The Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York on August 18 is now a possible port of call while Group One honours could be on the agenda with the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on September 11 another option.

Charlton told At The Races: "At the moment I think she is more than capable of stepping up as a two-year-old and therefore I would think that in three and a half weeks, which is about the ideal period between races, the Lowther has to come into the reckoning.

"It's a very good prize, a Group Two, I was encouraged to consider that and then three and a half weeks later you've got the Moyglare which is a Group One over seven furlongs.

"That is a possible programme. We don't want to overrace her but the Moyglare is quite a long time (away).

"I think what happens in her next races will tell us a lot, so I think we will keep all options open. We don't want to try to plan too far ahead."

Charlton rates Fair Eva highly, believing she compares favourably to Three Valleys who recorded a stunning eight-length triumph in the 2003 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He added: "Three Valleys broke the course record when he ran away with the Coventry at Ascot and drifted to the right and wasn't hard pressed to do it.

"Dare I say it, drawn on a wing yesterday, having no cover and making up ground and to a certain extent not pushed out, she would have broken Henrythenavigator's course record yesterday, if that's what we had wanted to do."