Newmarket Friday

Falmouth Stakes (Group 1)

THE feature race on day two of the July Festival was the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes, which was won for the first time by Charlie Appleby, who saddled Cinderella’s Dream (William Buick) to score a gutsy victory over favourite January (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) in a battle which lit up the July Course.

Second to Crimson Advocate when conceding 3lb in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, the 5/2 shot was waited with as Running Lion set a brisk pace but improved to throw down a strong challenge on the far side a furlong and a half from home, at which point January was producing her own burst next to the near-side rail.

The pair set sail for home in unison, and although January never flinched, it was Cinderella’s Dream who prevailed by a half a length, with Crimson Advocate third, two and a quarter lengths behind the winner.

Travelled better

Appleby said: “She is just tough and saw it out as she always does. I felt today she travelled better and even saddling her, the lad that looks after her said she has never felt this good as she is tugging him around the paddock. I said to Will try and sit a bit closer than we did at Ascot, but he was just travelling much sweeter today.

“You had to respect the way [January] was travelling, but when she didn’t quicken away I thought: ‘there is a battle on now’ as I know we get 10 furlongs. You are far from confident until you cross the line, but I did feel once they hit the rising ground it would be a tough one to get past her.

“A mile on a turn might be sharp enough, but a straight mile helped her use that bit of stamina we know she has got. She is knee high to a grasshopper, but she is as tough as teak. I’m delighted for her as she has been so consistent so for her to win a Group 1 in Europe was much deserved.

“We are going to work back from the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. It annoyed me when it got away from us last year so we will go back for another crack at that.”

Aidan O’Brien said of January: “She ran a lovely race, and she is improving. We think there is more improvement to come. There is always frustration, but she ran a great race, and we are delighted. We think we are on the right road. There is a Group 1 fillies race in Deauville in two or three weeks’ time so maybe something like that.”

Venetian Sun scrapes home

VENETIAN Sun (Kark Burke/Clifford Lee) was sent off at 2/5 for the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket on Friday, and she maintained her unbeaten record, but only after surviving a scare.

The Albany Stakes winner travelled smoothly through the contest as the field split into two groups and she looked sure to win well when taking over from Spicy Marg with over a furlong left, but Royal Fixation (Ed Walker/William Buick) produced a strong run on the stands side to draw alongside inside the distance, only for the winner to rally for a neck win. The pair pulled three-and-a-half lengths clear of Argentine Tango (Tim Easterby/David Allan) in third.

Karl Burke said: “When she cruised to the front, I thought it was all over, but Ed’s horse quickened up nicely; Clifford said she was just dossing in front as she is an idle filly. She is so laid back - she was in front plenty soon enough and the ground was on quick side for her, but she is a very high class filly.

“We haven’t trained her specifically for this race and we have been fairly easy on her since Ascot, as you would expect, with the thought we would go for the Lowther, or maybe the Morny.

“Laurens and Fallen Angel were high class Group 1-winning fillies, and she hasn’t done that yet, but she would be a lot quicker. She is a very straightforward filly, and she has a fantastic mind; you can see that by how she walked around the paddock and came in here. She was hardly blowing.

“I would think the Lowther would be out as she has won her Group 2 now. She is in the Morny and that would be the next option. Hopefully the ground will be a bit easier and we could go there and still have time to get her ready for the Moyglare.

“If we are not happy, we will go straight to the Moyglare. We are very keen to step her up to seven furlongs. Her pedigree says she is more of a miler at least. She is a very mature filly and she has got a great engine. I think she can be better on better ground and over a trip.”

The Ballydoyle battle continued when two promising two-year-olds, Distant Storm (5/6 favourite) and Constitution River fought out the finish of the seven-furlong maiden. Victory again went to the Godolphin favourite, with William Buick putting his head in front on the line.

The colt is a son of Date With Destiny, the only foal of George Washington.

York Friday

Dariyan overcomes a tricky passage

THE Group 3 Summer Stakes at York has been dominated by three-year-old fillies in recent times, and that trend continued as 9/4 favourite Sayidah Dariyan (Richard Hughes/Billy Loughnane) came from off the pace to register an impressive length-and-a-half win over Nighteyes (David O’Meara/Danny Tudhope).

Fourth in the Commonwealth Cup on her previous outing, Sayidah Dariyan was held up as Rage Of Bamby set the pace and although she had plenty of horses in front of her at halfway, she was able to switch for room between the leader and Arabian Dusk over a furlong out and quickened smartly to put the race to bed.

Nighteyes finished well without threatening the winner, with Celandine (Ed Walker/Paul Mulrennan) hanging on for third having been in the van throughout.

The winner came in for high praise from the winning jockey, with Loughnane telling Racing TV: “Richard told me to be as confident as I could on her as she relaxes lovely behind, she conserves so much energy, and she’s got an electric turn of foot when you let her down.

“She’s in great nick and is definitely a filly on the up. She’s got the best mind ever. She yawns in the gates, and when they open, she gets down to it.