Sun Chariot second for Always Smile

Always Smile produced a career-best effort when going down by three-quarters of a length to Alice Springs in the mile G1 Kingdom Of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket, UK, on Saturday, October 1.

The four-year-old filly, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Andrea Atzeni, broke well and soon settled in second of the eight runners behind Arabian Queen.

She moved up to briefly dispute the running passing the two-furlong pole and ran on strongly with Alice Springs as the front two quickened clear of the rest of the field over a furlong from home.

Always Smile stayed on gamely but could not get on terms with Alice Springs, who asserted in the closing stages to prevail in 1m 37.46s on good to firm ground, with a length back to Ervedya in third.

Saeed bin Suroor said: “Always Smile ran an excellent race to finish second in a G1 contest. She always tries her hardest and was beaten by a very good filly today.

“She has a big heart and we are very happy with her. We will see how she comes out of today before deciding where to go next.”