Half Light secures another G1 second in Sun Chariot Stakes

Supremely consistent filly Half Light filled the runner-up spot at G1 level for a second time this year with another valiant effort in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket, UK, on Saturday, 3 October.

The daughter of Shamardal, trained by Henri-Alex Pantall, chased home Watch Me in the G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville, France, in August and was supplemented for the mile contest on the back of a nose second to Dark Vision in the G2 Oettingen Rennen in Germany.

After breaking smartly, Half Light soon settled in third of a group of four runners that raced down the centre of the course away from the main field. She stayed on strongly towards the far side approaching the final quarter-mile and disputed the overall advantage over a furlong from home.

Half Light continued to battle for the lead until Nazeef edged ahead half a furlong out, with the Godolphin four-year-old galloping out gamely for William Buick to go down by a length and a half.

Lisa-Jane Graffard of Godolphin said: “We are absolutely delighted with Half Light, who doesn’t know how to run a bad race.

“William Buick was very complimentary about her afterwards and felt that it might be worth carrying on with her this season. We will get her back to France and see how she comes out of the race but she could well go for another G1 race somewhere.”