HIGHLIGHT of today's Newmarket card is a race savoured by course aficionados, the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes, which has attracted runners from France and South Africa taking on the home division.
French raiders Lily Of The Valley and Saphresa are likely to be major challengers but they may be hard-pushed to match the level of the last Gallic winner of this race two years ago, Goldikova.
That would be a mighty task for all of the others, too, who include South Africa’s River Jetez and some talented fillies from home yards. Although now an eight-year-old, River Jetez showed she was still a class act when second to Gitano Hernando in the Group 1 National Cup Stakes in May and so warrants respect.
Lily Of The Valley, the highest-rated in the field, disappointed first time out at St Cloud this season but probably needed the race and her previous form, winning six races in a row, including two Group 3s and a Group 1, suggests she will be up there.
The six-year-old Saphresa won a Group 3 first time out at Longchamp over seven furlongs and is twice a course- and-distance winner.
Five of the last 10 winners of this race have been three-year-olds but it is questionable if any of the four involved today are up to this task, although Memory could be able enough if recapturing her juvenile form.
I’m A Dreamer could go well but maybe the best chance for a home brigade success lies with Antara, who made an impressive start to the season when winning a Group 3 at Epsom comfortably.
None the less, for me the likeliest winner is the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Lily Of The Valley (3.00), who can leave behind that poor opener and record her seventh win in 10 races.
In the Cherry Hinton Stakes, some class acts and potentially classier acts meet over six furlongs in a Group 2 that could propel the winner higher. Royal Ascot form is well represented here, in particular by Shumoos and Caledonia Lady, who were second and third respectively behind Best Terms in the Queen Mary Stakes.
That was over five furlongs and it is hard to say who would be the better over today’s extra furlong, as there was just a head between them at Ascot.
My Propeller won by 17 lengths at Pontefract and could be a major player, albeit in this higher company, but it may be worth going for Russelliana (2.25), who is hoisted up to this level by trainer Sir Michael Stoute after just one race. He may well be something special.
Desert Law (1.50) is taken to put a poor showing last time out behind him and win the totesport.com Stakes.
York’s feature race, the Summer Stakes, sports some decent sprinters, not least Anne Of Kiev, whose fourth in the Wokingham Stakes carrying 9st 3lb reads well enough in the context of this race.
Before that she beat Dubai Media in a Listed race at Haydock.
She is 4lb better off this time and may find Swiss Diva and Puff more difficult opponents.
n Selections
Newmarket
1.50 Desert Law
2.25 Russelliana
3.00 Lily Of The Valley
York
2.35 Anne Of Kiev
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