Newmarket July Festival: day two

There are only 4 runners in the main event at Newmarket today, the Group One Falmouth Stakes for fillies and mares over a mile at 15.40 CET, but it is still a fascinating affair. Sky Lantern (Richard Hannon/ Richard Hughes) is the obvious favourite after winning the1,000 Guineas (over the Rowley Mile here) and the Coronation Stakes at Royal Áscot; she was especially impressive when winning the latter race, but this is her first race against the older generation and in our view she is not a good bet at the likely odds-on. French hope Giofra (Alain de Royer-Dupré/ Christophe Soumillon) and Elusive Kate (John Gosden/ William Buick) finished first and second in this last year and will not be easily brushed aside. The weather - and going- were terrible last year, but both should be at home on this much faster ground. Elusive Kate was also runner-up in the Sun Chariot here and finished fourth in the Queen Anne on her only start in 2013, but we just prefer the French runner, owned b y our old friend Jürgen Winter. Purr Along (William Muir/ Frankie Dettori) is guaranteed prize-money of 10 grand just to finish; she is quite useful but not normally up to this grade and fourth place is what she can expect, as she was 10 lengths behind Sky Lantern at Ascot.

The other group race on the card is the Cherry Hinton Stakes - now renamed the Duchess of Cambridge- for 2yo fillies over 6 furlongs at 15.10. Rizeena (Clive Brittain/ James Doyle) has won her last 3 races and was also spectacular in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot. She steps up a furlong now but that should be no problem and it will be a surprise if she gets beat today - Bye Bye Birdie (Aidan O´Brien/ Ryan Moore), winner of a group three at the Curragh last time, looks the only danger.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Indignant - Nardin - Dream Wild
2. Race: Rizeena - Bye Bye Birdie - Fig Roll
3. Race: Elusive Kate - Giofra - Purr Along
4. Race: Heaven`s Guest - Moviesta - Equity Risk
5. Race: True Story - Edge - Good Value
6. Race: Vermont - Lions Park - Urban Dance
7. Race: Henry The Aviator - Bassara - Fils Anges