Cherry Hinton (horse)

On her racecourse debut, Cherry Hinton contested a maiden race over six furlongs at Haydock Park Racecourse in early August in which she finished third behind the colt Bolak, who won the Solario Stakes a month later. The filly then started favourite in a field of twenty-one colts and fillies for the Convivial Stakes over six furlongs at York Racecourse. The field split into two groups and although Cherry Hinton defeated the colt Formidable to finish in front of the group on the left side (from the jockey's viewpoint), she was beaten two and a half lengths by John de Coombe on the opposite side. The form was subsequently boosted as John de Coombe recorded an upset victory over some of the best juveniles in France (including Super Concorde) in the Prix de la Salamandre, whilst Formidable won both the Mill Reef Stakes and the Middle Park Stakes.[6]

Cherry Hinton's next race was the Tadcaster Stakes over the same course and distance in September in which she carried five pounds less than the Lowther Stakes runner-up Be Sweet. Lester Piggott employed waiting tactics, restraining the filly at the back of the field before making a move forward inside the final furlong and catching favourite Be Sweet. According to Timeform, the neck victory "gave no indication of her superiority". Later that month, the filly was moved up in the class for the Argos Star Mile (then a Group Three race) at Ascot Racecourse and started 10/11[7] favourite carrying top weight of 127 pounds. Her opponents included Tartan Pimpernel, Fiordiligi and Watch Out, the first three finishers in the May Hill Stakes. Piggott settled the filly behind the leaders before moving up to take the lead a furlong and a half from the finish and drawing away to win by five lengths from Tartan Pimpernel.[6]

Cherry Hinton started 1978 as the clear favourite for both the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks, but her size reportedly made her difficult to train and was slow to reach peak fitness. On her three-year-old debut, looking less than fully fit, she finished second, beaten two and a half lengths by the Paul Cole-trained Shapina in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury Racecourse. Cherry Hinton was still strongly fancied for the 1000 Guineas the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, but appeared badly outpaced in the closing stages and finished fourth behind Enstone Spark, Fair Salinia and Seraphima.[2]

Cherry Hinton bypassed the Oaks, reappearing in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot. She started favourite, despite sweating up badly before the start, but finished third behind Relfo and Be Sweet. The filly was sent to Ireland for the Irish Oaks but after enduring a bad journey to Ireland she was withdrawn shortly before the race. Her preparation for the Yorkshire Oaks in August was interrupted by back problems and she ran poorly, finishing unplaced behind Fair Salinia. Her retirement was announced two weeks later.[2]