1m (July) Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Fillies & Mares) (Class 1)
The Falmouth Stakes looks like a really competitive affair and represents the first occassion where the Classic generation take on their elders. However 9lbs is a lot of weight for the older horses to give away and it could be enough to just swing the balance in favour of the three-year-olds.
Royal Ascot winners of the Duke of Cambridge or the Coronation Stakes have generally produced the winner of this race, and rightly so, with the obvious quality of those races. However, the way those races were run doesn’t suggest that there is a standout filly in either age group.
From the older crop, I am a big fan of Lady Bowthorpe, but I think she needs slightly further than a mile and from the three-year-old contingent it’s hard to pick from the 1,000 Guineas form or the Coronation Stakes. Saffron Beach arguably appeals most at the prices but she could be vulnerable to an improving type.
I’m not sure whether there is that much pace in this contest and it could turn in to a sprint in the final few furlongs. I haven’t seen evidence to suggest anybody in this field looks to have a turn-of-foot anywhere near the extent of PRIMO BACIO.
The daughter of 2,000 Guineas winner Awtaad has taken a while to show her true colours, but she has massively improved as a three-year-old on her two starts.
Primo Bacio went off a 100/1 outsider in the Fred Darling stakes finishing 3l behind Alcohol Free when staying on impressively from second last to fourth. Primo Bacio may have finished much closer if not getting impeded and she showed that form was no fluke when sprinting away from a decent field in a Listed contest next time out which included Snow Lantern a comfortable 5ls behind.
The re-opposing Snow Lantern may not have shown her best on that evidence and could improve significantly even beyond her Royal Ascot performance, but I also think we haven’t seen the full potential of Primo Bacio just yet, and she looks hugely unexposed over a mile on her first attempt on fast ground.
1pt win Primo Bacio @6/1, 15:35 Newmarket, Friday
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