Tag Archive for: Falmouth Stakes

Porta Fortuna powers to emphatic Falmouth victory

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Porta Fortuna supplemented her determined victory at Royal Ascot with a dominant display in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

A Group One winner at two in the Cheveley Park Stakes, Donnacha O’Brien’s filly kicked off her Classic campaign by finishing second to Elmalka in the 1000 Guineas on the Rowley Mile before comprehensively reversing that form to land the Coronation Stakes at the royal meeting last month.

Having now fully proven her once questioned stamina over the mile, Porta Fortuna was the 10-11 favourite to claim a third top-level win on the July Course and stamped her authority against her elders in no uncertain terms under Ryan Moore.

Running Lion, winner of the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, set out to make all the running in the hands of Oisin Murphy, while Porta Fortuna initially sat perfectly positioned in her slipstream.

However, Running Lion weakened quickly with more than two furlongs still to race, which perhaps left Porta Fortuna in front sooner than Moore, deputising for Tom Marquand who was required to ride at York, would have liked.

But it made little difference to the result, as the further O’Brien’s filly went, the better she looked and she passed the post with three and three-quarter lengths in hand over the improving Jabaara, with Rogue Millennium and Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up A Lilac Rolla dead-heating for third.

O’Brien said: “With any Group One, there’s always some pressure but she’s delivered. All the best three-year-olds were there, so it’s nice to see her go and do it again.

“I don’t know what is next, we’ll take her home and have a think. I think it’s sensible to give her a little break now, then prepare her for the Matron (Leopardstown, Irish Champions Weekend), Sun Chariot and then Breeders’ Cup, something like that.

Porta Fortuna was an impressive winner of the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket
Porta Fortuna was an impressive winner of the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket (Nick Robson/PA)

“I think the Filly & Mare is one-mile-three this year, if it was a mile-one, we’d be tempted to have a go, so it would probably be the Mile against the boys, which will be tough but all of her owners are American, so it would be nice for them, it’s always been the plan.

“She means a lot to me, you’re always trying to find one good one a year to take you to the Group Ones and she’s doing that.”

Moore, who partnered Porta Fortuna for the first time, added: “She’s a great filly and she has always shown plenty, she’s an Albany winner and a Cheveley Park winner who ran very well at the Breeders’ Cup after that.

“She ran well in the Guineas and then went and won the Coronation this year, she’s never run a bad race.

“She’s straightforward, I was fast out of the gates, we weren’t going mad but it was the perfect race really. She’s very uncomplicated and when you couple that with her ability, it makes things easy.

“The way she’s handled her contemporaries and the older fillies here, she’d have no trouble mixing with the boys.”

The July Festival 2024 – Festival Friday – Newmarket Racecourse
Porta Fortuna (centre) on her way to victory (David Davies/PA).

Varian was delighted with the performance of the runner-up and said: “She ran great, I’m thrilled with her.

“We sort of rolled the dice, she’d won two Listed races and I just thought this race always has a small field and if we could be third, it would be worth running. She’s ended up second, so we’re delighted.

“We’d have loved to have won but hats off to the winner, she’s top class and we were second best.

“She got the mile but I think she’s better at seven (furlongs), but she was ridden just to get the mile – over seven, she has a high cruising speed, she’s a filly with pace and James (Doyle) thought going into the dip she was going really well, but her guts and determination ground out second.

“As long as she comes out of it OK, we’d love to go to Goodwood for the Oak Tree and then see after that, as she’s had a busy summer. Maybe the Foret.”



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Porta Fortuna and Running Lion on course to lock horns in the Falmouth

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Royal Ascot heroines Porta Fortuna and Running Lion are among nine fillies to stand their ground for the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

A Group One-winning two-year-old in last season’s Cheveley Park Stakes, Porta Fortuna filled the runner-up spot behind Elmalka on her return in the 1000 Guineas, but reversed the form in some style at the Royal meeting, getting the better of Opera Singer to lift the Coronation Stakes.

Having now proven her stamina over a mile, Donnacha O’Brien’s filly will be well fancied to follow up when she meets her elders for the first time on the July Course.

John and Thady Gosden’s Running Lion looks set to step up to Group One level following an impressive Group Two success in Ascot’s Duke of Cambridge Stakes at the chief expense of stablemate Laurel, who is a notable absentee from the Falmouth confirmations.

Porta Fortuna could be joined on the trip from Ireland by the Paddy Twomey-trained A Lilac Rolla, Joseph O’Brien’s pair of Rogue Millennium and Gregarina and Adrian Murray’s Magical Sunset.

A Lilac Rolla is a particularly interesting contender, having been kept fresh since filling the runner-up spot behind the currently sidelined Fallen Angel in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in late May.

Doom (William Haggas), Sirona (David Menuisier) and Jabaara (Roger Varian) complete the potential field.



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‘Just another day at the office’ for Doyle and Marquand in Group One clash

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It is rare that husband and wife jockeys ride against each other in a top-class race, and it is rarer still that they ride for the same trainer.

Yet that is the prospect facing Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle when they oppose each other in the Group One Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

Doyle is on the much-fancied Nashwa for owner Imad Al Sagar, while Marquand will sport the famous pink and green Juddmonte colours aboard Coppice, with both trained by John and Thady Gosden.

For racing’s ‘golden couple’, it is business as normal, as Doyle explained: “I’m obviously only riding because of Imad’s retainer, but it’s good that Tom has picked up that good ride.

“Riding against him in a Group One for the same team is not something I’ve really thought about – it would never really cross my mind. It’s just another day at the office.”

Third in last year’s Oaks, Nashwa went on to give Doyle a first Classic success when taking the French equivalent at Chantilly before recording a second Group One success in the Nassau at Goodwood and excellent placed efforts in both France and America.

However, she has failed to really sparkle in her two starts this term, at Chantilly and Newcastle, and Doyle is hoping she will finally be ready to show her true colours as she drops back to a mile for the first time in eight starts since landing a Haydock novice in April last year.

“I think she has taken a time to come to hand,” added Doyle. “She is really big and has grown a lot over the winter. I just think she has taken a few runs to get straightened out, really.

“John and Thady are clearly happy with the way she has come out of Newcastle to run her back in the Falmouth. We will leave it to them – they usually do the right thing.”

Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand both ride for the Gosden team in the Falmouth
Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand both ride for the Gosden team in the Falmouth (John Walton/PA)

Marquand replaces the suspended Frankie Dettori aboard Coppice, who followed up her Newcastle novice success with victory in the Sandringham at Royal Ascot.

He said: “Obviously it’s fantastic to pick up a ride of Coppice’s quality in a major Group One.

“She comes in off the back of an impressive performance at Ascot with Frankie and under unfortunate circumstances for him, I’ve been lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to get aboard her, so hopefully she can continue along her progressive path.”

Coppice won at Ascot for Frankie Dettori
Coppice won at Ascot for Frankie Dettori (David Davies/PA)

Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owner Juddmonte, feels it is a “nice opportunity” for Coppice to test her mettle.

He said: “This is a huge step up in class, but she’s a nice filly and she won well at Ascot.

“She’s a filly that we have Group-race aspirations for so we will start here and see how we get on and if we have to lower her sights, then we can. She’s a filly who, if she could get third in a Group One, then that would be a nice result.”

The George Boughey-trained Via Sistina, winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh just under two weeks ago, is a likely favourite but her participation hinges on some ease in the Newmarket ground.

Remarquee (far right) was not beaten far at Royal Ascot
Remarquee (far right) was not beaten far at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA)

Bookmakers see Ralph Beckett’s duo, Remarquee and last year’s winner Prosperous Voyage, as the biggest threats outside of Nashwa, with the former making her first outing for new owners Wathnan Racing on the back of her second to Tahiyra in the Coronation Stakes.

Meanwhile, defending champion Prosperous Voyage was a winner at Epsom before finishing third in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Ascot and returns to the scene of her finest hour with William Buick deputising for the suspended Frankie Dettori in the saddle.

“Hopefully the rain will hold off for her,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager for Marc Chan, who owns the filly with Andrew Rosen.

“Her last two runs have been good and she goes into the race as well as she did last year, so you would have to be really hopeful.”

Saffie Osborne maintains her partnership with Ed Walker’s Random Harvest, having finished a place behind Prosperous Voyage at Epsom, but a place in front of that rival at Ascot, while Never Ending Story (Aidan O’Brien), Ameynah (Roger Varian) and Astral Beau (Pam Sly) complete the line-up.



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Boughey to walk track before Via Sistina decision

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George Boughey will walk the track before deciding whether to let Via Sistina take her chance in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

The improving five-year-old broke her Group One duck last time out over 10 furlongs in the Pretty Polly at the Curragh.

She is due to drop back down to a mile on the July course but Boughey says there must be enough ease in the ground to enable her to show her best.

“We will work as if she is running but she needs the rain for her to run,” he said.

“The Falmouth has always been a plan for her as she does look very good on a straight track, but softer ground is key to her.

“There are lots of times she could run where she will get soft ground and we are not going to do anything that is not in the best interests of the horse.

“If it did rain, she will be very competitive. We will walk the track and if it is the same as Ireland last time I imagine she will take her chance, but if it is any faster she won’t.

“For her pedigree, if she was to win a Falmouth she would be pretty sexy.”

Via Sistina is one of nine declared for the one-mile Group One that headlines Friday’s action, with a stellar cast lining up on the July course.

Defending champion Prosperous Voyage is one of two for Ralph Beckett and is joined by Royal Ascot runner-up Remarquee, with the Coronation Stakes second making her first outing for new owners Wathnan Racing.

John and Thady Gosden are also double-handed as they saddle not only last year’s Prix de Diane winner Nashwa, but also the Juddmonte-owned Coppice.

The Sandringham scorer was partnered by Frankie Dettori when triumphing at the Royal meeting, but with the Italian serving a ban picked up at the summer’s big week, Tom Marquand picks up a rare Clarehaven ride and deputises aboard the progressive three-year-old.

Ed Walker’s Random Harvest is another to bring smart Royal Ascot form to the table, while Roger Varian’s Ameynah was last seen finishing sixth in last year’s 1000 Guineas and returns from 439-days off the track.

Pam Sly’s Astral Beau and Aidan O’Brien’s Never Ending Story complete the field.



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Nashwa added to Falmouth field

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Nashwa has been supplemented for Friday’s Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

The four-year-old was a dual Group One winner for John and Thady Gosden last term but has struggled to find her best form in two outings so far this year.

After finishing fourth in the Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud, she was dropped back to Group Three level for the Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes at Newcastle last week, but she was beaten into second as an odds-on favourite.

Owner Imad Al Sagar has now stumped up £20,000 to add her to the race, where she will be dropping back to a mile from 10 furlongs.

John Gosden said: “We have supplemented her for the Falmouth. As you know, she has been very slow to come to hand this year. The race in France brought her on a bit. Again the other day, she probably went a little hard early, but didn’t finish off.

“She is in great form and she needs racing, and we don’t really want to be waiting from two weeks ago all the way to the Nassau Stakes.

“So, it is close to home and she’s in great form and I don’t think she’ll have any problem with the mile.”

Via Sistina was a Group One winner at the Curragh last week
Via Sistina was a Group One winner at the Curragh last week (Brian Lawless/PA)

Via Sistina could bid for a swift Group One double after George Boughey’s charge secured her first top-level success in last week’s Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.

She could turn out again just 13 days later in search of a third win this term, having also landed the Dahlia Stakes on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course back in May.

Remarquee, now owned by Wathnan Racing, is another key player for Ralph Beckett, having bounced back from 1000 Guineas defeat with a fine second to Tahiyra in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, while the fourth-placed Meditate is one of two possibles for Aidan O’Brien along with Never Ending Story.

Sandringham Stakes winner Coppice is a second contender for the Gosden team, with Beckett also having a second contender in last year’s race winner Prosperous Voyage.

The 10 confirmations are completed by Ameynah, Astral Beau and Random Harvest, with Inspiral an absentee as expected.

Charlie Appleby’s impressive recent Listed winner Star Of Mystery heads 11 contenders for the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes, where Albany Stakes third Soprano could be among her rivals.



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Late setback rules Laurel out of Duke of Cambridge engagement

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Connections of Laurel will look to the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes after she was frustratingly ruled out of the Duke of Cambridge Stakes with a late setback.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the daughter of Kingman was towards the top of the market for the one-mile Royal Ascot Group Two – a race which had been her main target for the first half of the season – but her name was missing from the 10 declarations on Monday.

A winner of three of her five starts, she would have had a fine chance of bouncing back from a below-par effort in the Lockinge where she was tasked with taking on colts for the first time.

However, she suffered an issue over the weekend which will keep her on the sidelines during the Royal meeting, with the focus now switching to getting her back to full fitness for her next assignment, which could come on July 14 at Newmarket’s July Festival.

“She’s just had a little setback over the weekend and this morning John and Thady weren’t 100 per cent happy with her, so unfortunately we couldn’t declare her,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“It’s just a bit of wear or tear and it was 50-50, but you are on the big stage and when you are not 100 per cent happy it’s not worth taking the risk. So we said we will give her an easy few days and probably aim for the Falmouth at the July meeting.”

Mahon added: “It’s frustrating as this is the race we had in mind for her all year, but the filly’s welfare always comes first and once the trainer wasn’t 100 per cent happy that was it, there was no question.”



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2022 Newmarket July Festival Trends – Day Two, Friday 8th July

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As we head into day two of the Newmarket July Festival this Friday there is bundles more to look forward to with four more LIVE ITV races too. The Group One Falmouth Stakes (3:35) spearheads the afternoon's action at HQ and, as always, we've got all the ITV races covered with key trends to help you find the winners.

Newmarket July Meeting - Day Two, Friday 8th July 2022

1.50 - bet365 Handicap Cl2 (3yo 0-105) 1m2f ITV

13/15 – Raced in the last 4 weeks
13/15 – Had won between 1-2 times before
12/15 – Have never run at Newmarket (July) before
12/15 – Returned 12/1 or shorter in the betting
12/15 – Placed in the top 6 last time out
10/15 – Carried 8-12 or more in weight
10/15 – Unplaced favourites
8/15 – Irish bred
7/15 – Had won over 1m2f or further before
7/15 – Trained by Mark Johnston (including 6 of last 9 runnings)
6/15 – Raced at Ascot last time out
4/15 – Won last time out
2/15 – Trained by Andrew Balding
0/15 – Winning favourites

2.25 - Duchess of Cambridge Stakes (Sponsored by Bet365) (Group 2) Cl1 6f ITV3

18/18 – Had raced within the last 4 weeks
18/18 – Had raced at least twice before
17/18 – Had won between 1-2 times before
16/18 – Foaled in Feb or March
16/18 – Drawn in stall 8 or lower
15/18 – Placed favourites
14/18 – Placed 1st or 2nd last time out
14/18 – Won by a UK-based yard
13/18 – Ran at Ascot last time out
13/18 – Had won over 6f before
10/18 – Returned 7/2 or shorter in the betting
10/18 – Won last time out
9/18 – Winning favourites
3/18 – Trained by the Hannon team
3/18 – Ridden by Ryan Moore
3/18 – Trained by Aidan O’Brien (inc 2 of last 6)
3/18 – Ridden by Frankie Dettori (5 wins in total)
3/18 – Drawn in stall 1 (2 of the last 3)

3.00 – bet365 Trophy (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 (4yo+) 1m6f ITV3

Just 4 previous running
The Saeed Bin Suroor yard won this race in 2021
The Mark Johnston yard won this race in 2019 and 2020
The Charlie Appleby yard won this race in 2018
Godolphin have won 2 of the 4 past runnings
Cape Coast (13/2) won this race in 2020
King’s Advice (10/1) won this race in 2019
Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor has a 33% record with his 4+ year-olds at the track
Trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam has a 23% record with his 4+ year-olds at the track
Jockey Ben Curtis has a 25% riding 4+ yar-olds at the track
Jockey Andrea Atzeni has a 24% riding 4+ yar-olds at the track

 

3.35 - Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (British Champions Series) (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares) Cl1 1m ITV

19/20 – Won a Listed or better class race previously
19/20 – Aged 3 or 4 years-old
16/20– Won over at least 1 mile previously
16/20 – Had 2+ runs that season
15/20 – Won from stall 5 or lower
15/20 – Won at 13/2 or shorter in the betting
15/20 – Ran at Ascot in their last race
11/20 – Favourites placed
7/20 – Favourites  that won (1 joint)
7/20 – Previous Group One winners
7/20 – Had run on the Newmarket July course previously
6/20 – Won their last race
3/20 – Ridden by Ryan Moore (3 of the last 8)
2/20 – Trained by Aidan O’Brien (2 of last 6 runnings)
2/20 – Trained by John Gosden (2 of the last 10 runnings)
2/20 - Owned by the Cheveley Park Stud (2 of the last 8 runnings)
2/20 – French-trained winners

 

 

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