Strawberrydaiquiri in mix for Falmouth Stakes
July ushers in the point of the season when the Classic generation is tested against their elders.
The last 10 renewals of the Group One Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes, the Group One highlight of the first day of Newmarket’s July meeting, have been evenly split between the age groups and both a strongly represented this year and the pick of the three-year-olds are Special Duty and Lillie Langtry.
Special Duty won both the 1000 Guineas and Poule D'Essai Des Pouliches in May but each time she required the intervention of the stewards, having finished second past the post both times. That should not detract from her achievements but her form in both races gives a slight edge to Lillie Langtry.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained filly missed the start of the season, having sustained a leg injury when she ran in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, at Santa Anita in November, and probably needed the race when a close fifth to Bethrah in the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh.
However, she shades Special Duty on her win in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, where she beat Gile Na Greine (who re-opposes here) by one-and-a-quarter lengths, while Gile Na Greine was only a head behind Special Duty in the Guineas.
Music Show was fourth in the Coronation, having finished sixth in the Guineas and third in the Irish equivalent and, although she may have not always had the best of luck, she is starting to run out of excuses.
The other three-year-old in the field, Rainfall, has made rapid progress since winning a maiden at Thirsk in May but would need to improve again on her head defeat of Red Jazz – beaten since – in the Jersey Stakes at the royal meeting to take a hand in this race.
Sir Michael Stoute’s lead in this season’s trainer’s championship has been partly achieved by his older horses, who have a 33% strike-rate in Group races this season, and Strawberrydaiquiri is one who has been brought along patiently with a race like this in mind.
The winner of six of her eight starts the only time that Strawberrydaiquiri (pictured) has failed to finish first or second was when she was fourth to Sahpresa in the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket last October. That form was comprehensively when Strawberrydaiquiri won the Group Two Windsor Forest Stakes at Ascot three weeks ago and Sahpresa was eighth.
Strawberrydaiquiri did not have the race run to suit as she had to make most of the running and would be far better with a pace to track. She only had a head to spare over Spacious then but she looked a filly who is still improving.
The question in the Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cherry Hinton Stakes is whether any of the fillies who have been beaten by Memory can improve enough to take her on this time? She beat Radharcnafarraige by three lengths, with Hooray anther two lengths behind in the Group Three Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot.
However, Hooray was drawn on what proved to be the unfavoured side of the course and could also have more of a chance if she can settle better in the early stages of the race. There is also some optimism to be drawn from the form of Sir Mark Prescott’s runners who have a 36% strike-rate since the beginning of June.
The totesport.com Handicap has thrown up some decent winners in recent years and Kellys Eye, who has nothing but improve since arriving at David Brown’s yard, could be worth a chance in what looks a competitive race.
The gelding completed a hat-trick in lower -grade handicaps at Ripon and had something to spare on each time. The last win earned him a 9lb hike in the handicap, and 24lb since season started. This is a step up in class but Brown does not have many runners on the July course and a 22% strike-rate makes them worth considering, while Maid In Heaven can complete her own treble in the Champagne Lanson EBF Fillies’ Handicap.
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