AIDAN O’Brien’s Alice Springs, forced to come wide and decidedly unlucky when third in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, showed her true colours in the Group 1 Tattersalls 250th Year Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket yesterday. Heavily backed during the day and sent off at 5/2 as punters cooled towards former warm favourite Usherette, she ran out a decisive winner from Godolphin pair Very Special and Always Smile.

Very Special led early on with Irish Rookie keen to take her on. Last year’s winner Amazing Maria was also close enough but, all the while, Ryan Moore was sitting quietly on Alice Springs as she made her way between horses.