Natagora wins Cheveley Park by a neck at Newmarket

Natagora, running for the first time in her brief career against her own sex, led throughout at Newmarket on Friday to take the Group 1, $346,000 Cheveley Park Stakes by a neck from the hard-charging Fleeting Spirit.

The winner of four straight against males in France, the Pascal Bary-trained Natagora was ridden by Christophe Lemaire, and she held on gamely at 7-2, clocking 1:11.55 for the six furlongs on good ground.

Bary, who was winning for the first time in England, said that Natagora would not run again this year and is likely to be kept to sprint distances next year.

Fleeting Spirit hurt her chances when she reared just before the gate opened. The winner of the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes proved, however, that she can stay six furlongs and had 4 lengths on third-place Festoso on the line.

* Dark Angel led virtually throughout to win the six-furlong $346,000 Middle Park Stakes for juvenile colts by a half-length from Strike the Deal. Dark Angel, trained by Barry Hills, covered the distance in 1:12.08 at 8-1 as the 2-1 choice, Sir Gerry, missed the break and came home eighth of nine.