She ran well in defeat in her first two races before winning the Tadcaster Stakes at York Racecourse and then establishing her reputation with a wide-margin victory in the Argos Star Fillies' Mile.
Cherry Hinton was a "big, rangy and most attractive"[2] bay mare with a small white star bred in Kentucky by her owner Ralph "Budgie" Moller.
[3] Cherry Hinton was the fourth foal, and third winner produced by her dam Popkins, a high-class racemare (rated 120 by Timeform) who won the Sun Chariot Stakes and the Prix de la Nonette in 1970.
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.
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.
[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.