TATTERSALLS FALMOUTH

STAKES (GROUP 1)

JESSICA Harrington’s brilliant filly Alpha Centauri, paying her first visit to Newmarket, stayed supremely calm and ran away with yesterday’s Group 1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes, following up her effortless victory in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The race did not follow the script that many had envisaged because Colm O’Donoghue was happy to let the 4/9 favourite ease into the lead against the stands’ rails as Aidan O’Brien’s Clemmie led the trio down the centre.

The two groups came closer together at halfway but Alpha Centauri was always in front and O’Donoghue asked her to quicken up and win her race fully three furlongs out. She strode clear and had four and a half lengths to spare at the line as Altyn Orda wore down Clemmie for second. The others were beaten a long way.

The taking thing about the winner, apart from her brilliance, is the way she takes things in her stride. This course is an undulating one with a stiff uphill finish but she simply lobbed along as if exercising on the beach.

HACKING

“She’s absolutely unbelievable. She was just hacking along and then she quickened,” Harrington said. “She had to do the donkey work this time but it made no difference. She loves that fast ground and I’m very lucky to train her.

“Of course, this is all financial whereas the jumps is just great fun! Seriously, we’ll simply take each race as it comes and there are no long-term plans.”

That is the correct strategy and the trainer will not be hassled by the so-called experts. Taking on the colts is always harder than is supposed and the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood follows on rather quickly.

The obvious race is the Matron Stakes with the Irish Champion another possibility although, to this observer, Alpha Centauri is a miler and going up to 10 furlongs would carry a risk.

Of course, she would be ridden with more restraint but, watching her go clear yesterday, there was no real reason to assume another two furlongs against specialists at the trip would be in her favour. Racing is all about opinions; where everyone can agree is that she is a sight to behold and an athlete to treasure.