The £170,000 group I Skybet Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2003, has attracted 80 top-class entries through Aug. 6.

The prestigious six-furlong event for 2-year-old fillies is sponsored for the first time by Sky Bet, one of Britain's largest horseracing and sports betting companies, and is the main event on the first day of Newmarket's Cambridgeshire Meeting, which runs from Thursday, October 2, to Saturday, October 4.

Last season's Skybet Cheveley Park Stakes went to the Henry Candy-trained Airwave, who showed amazing speed to deny Russian Rhythm by a length and a half.

Airwave has developed into one of the leading sprinters this term, being placed in two group I contests including the Darley July Cup at Newmarket on July 10 when the length third to Oasis Dream.

Russian Rhythm has gone on to complete a group I treble for Sir Michael Stoute. After making a victorious seasonal debut in the fillies' classic, the Sagitta One Thousand Guineas at Newmarket on May 4, she gained a Royal Ascot success in the Coronation Stakes before successfully stepping up to 10 furlongs in the Vodafone Nassau Stakes at Goodwood last weekend.

This year Sir Michael, who trains at Newmarket, has entered Esteemed Lady, an unraced filly by Mark Of Esteem (who won the Sagitta Two Thousand Guineas at Newmarket in 1996).

Mark Johnston's juveniles have been carrying all before them this season and he is represented by Attraction. Despite not possessing the most fluent of actions, the Efisio filly is unbeaten in five starts, including the group III Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, when accounting for Catstar by three lengths, and the group II Chippenham Lodge Stud Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket last month, devastating her seven rivals by at least five lengths with Pearl Grey in second.

Catstar and Pearl Grey are both trained in Newmarket by David Loder and he also has Cara Bella, Lake Charlotte, Lane County, Mansfield Park, Painted Moon, Queen Of Stars, Sundrop and Rosehearty, runner-up to the Alan Jarvis-trained River Belle in the group III Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot, as possibles.

Champion Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien has never won the Skybet Cheveley Park Stakes and he will be hoping that one of his seven entries can alter that. The O'Brien team includes Follow, who won a maiden at Leopardstown in May by two lengths from Acciacatura, Necklace, Oh So Precious and Show Me The Roses, who have all been placed in maidens, and Baraka, Bywayofthestars and Tu Eres Mi Amore, a trio of unraced fillies, the first two being by Danehill.

Other notable entries include the Godolphin pair of Alqwah and Al Sifaat. The former is another unraced Danehill filly, while Al Sifaat was the runner-up to Bay Tree in a Newbury maiden fillies' contest on Sunday. Former footballer-turned-trainer Mick Channon has Royal Ascot scorer Silca's Gift among his three possibles while Newmarket handler Jeremy Noseda has Carry On Katie, an easy winner of her only start on July 25 at Ascot. Lucky Pipit has won her last two starts, including the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown by five lengths, for Barry Hills who also could run Tarot Card, successful at Goodwood last week.

Criquette Head-Maarek has won this race on three occasions, with Ma Biche in 1982, Ravinella five years later and Pas De Reponse in 1996. This year the trainer has entered Roseanna.

There is a supplementary entry stage, costing £12,000, on Sept. 27.

SKYBET CHEVELEY PARK STAKES
Newmarket, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2003. Class A, group I, £170,000 guaranteed, for 2yo fillies only, 6f. Weights 8st 11lb. Entries closed: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 (80 entries). Forfeit stage: Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2003. Supplementary entry stage and confirmation of entry stage by noon: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2003. Declarations to run by 10am: Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2003. Penalty values: 1st: £98,600; 2nd: £37,400; 3rd: £18,700; 4th: £8,500; 5th: £4,250; 6th: £2,550.