The big race at Newmarket today is the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes for fillies and mares and the classic generation have not won the event since 2010.That said the 3-year-old Lucida (3.15) was beaten as much by the draw as the two other high class fillies (Ervedya and Found) in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot last time and in receipt of 9lbs from the older horses she can score for legendary Irish trainer Jim Bolger. The selection is currently 3/1 at BetVictor and she looks sure to go close in a vintage renewal of this mile contest.
Last year’s French Guineas and Oaks winner Avenir Certain makes her British debut and she can reverse last month’s Chantilly form with fellow Gallic raider Fintry who beat the dual classic winner half a length on that occasion. Avenir Certain (4/1) looked a potential superstar last term and she looked to be coming right back to her best last time. She will need a strongly run race at this trip, gets further, and if Arabian Queen makes it a true test she is a big danger. I would love to see her at Goodwood for the Nassau Stakes over 10f next month but she is still likely to run a big race.
Last year’s winner Integral has to put behind a poor run at Royal Ascot last time but she is surely better than she showed on that occasion; Lucida for me in a race to savour.
In the opening fillies’ handicap the unbeaten Wordcraft (2.10) is fancied to make it three out of three for Charlie Appleby having won at Newmarket on debut before landing a Kempton handicap off a 6lbs lower mark last time.
It would be fair to suggest Easton Angel (2.40) ran into one at Royal Ascot when second to Acapulco over the minimum trip. Jockey Paul Mulrennan immediately suggested six furlongs would be ideal and Frankie Dettori takes over in the saddle for the first time. The unbeaten Illuminate is the obvious danger having ran out a cosy winner of the Albany Stakes last time for Richard Hannon but it is the norther raider Easton Angel in another top-quality group contest.
At Ascot there is a decent 12f fillies’ handicap and it might be worth noting that the classic generation have won the only two renewals of the race. Those winners were saddled by William Haggas (Arabian Comet 2014) and Luca Cumani (Kikonga 2013) and the Newmarket handlers can fight out the finish today with the Haggas’ trained Forever Popular (3.35) getting the nod over Cumani’s Dreamlike.
The selection made it third time lucky when breaking her maiden tag at Chepstow last time having been a beaten favourite on her two previous starts. She still holds an entry in the Irish Oaks next weekend and would certainly have to win this well to take up that classic engagement. Dreamlike looks sure to appreciate the step up in trip having stayed on strongly behind the very well backed Suffused at Newbury over 10f last time.
At York Marmion (3.25) is 4lbs higher than when finishing runner up in a prestigious Ladies’ event over C&D last month and can reward each way support at 8/1. The classic generation won the corresponding race last year and the selection is the only 3-y-old in the 16-runner field. Jimmy Quinn rides with just 8st 3lbs and 8/1 at BetVictor looks a fair price.
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