Golden Lilac stars in a top class field for the Eithad Airways Falmouth Stakes

Golden Lilac with Maxime Guyon in the saddle. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

A very strong line-up of fillies and mares has been declared for the Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes on day two of the Piper Heidsieck July Festival at Newmarket’s July Course this Friday, with French star Golden Lilac likely to start a very warm favourite.

The Andre Fabre-trained four-year-old took the French 1000 Guineas and Oaks last year and on her only start this year defeated the 2011 QIPCO Champion Stakes winner, Cirrus des Aigles, over nine furlongs in May.

Dropping back to eight furlongs on Friday won’t be a problem and she has won on soft ground in the past, although Fabre has been keen to avoid soft ground so far this year.

The going at Newmarket is currently Good-to-Soft with more rain forecast.

Up against her are a clutch of other older fillies and mares with strong form to their name, if not as good as that which Golden Lilac can boast, plus two high class three-year-olds and a third one that is improving fast.

The John Gosden-trained Joviality just got the better of Chachamaidee in the Windsor Forest Stakes for older fillies and mares at Royal Ascot last month, with Lay Time and Barefoot Lady in third and fourth.

All four run again on Friday and while it is hard to see Lay Time or Barefoot Lady turning the form round, Chachamaidee could, although she is unraced on soft ground and is not sure to appreciate it.

Giofra, another challenger from France, brings some good form to the race, but is rated five pounds lower than Golden Lilac, so more of a threat may come from the three-year-olds.

Maybe and Elusive Kate were the best juvenile fillies in Europe last year and have yet to have the opportunity to show how good they can be at three.

Maybe has run twice this season, but the QIPCO 1000 Guineas came too soon for her, though she still came third, while she failed to stay the mile and a half trip in the Investec Oaks after looking very dangerous with two furlongs to run. She handles soft ground and should run a big race.

Elusive Kate has not run at all this year with trainer John Gosden waiting for faster ground. Whilst he won’t get that for her on Friday, he is keen to get her back on the track as soon as possible.

She went very well in her most recent piece of work on the Newmarket gallops and Gosden proved with Nathaniel last Saturday that he can ready a horse for a top class race on its seasonal debut, but the ground remains a real concern.

The third three-year-old, Godolphin’s Irish History, has a lot to find, but is improving, likes soft ground and ran by far her best race to date when third in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

It promises to be a fascinating race, with the quantity of rain that Newmarket receives over the next two days likely to be crucial to the outcome.

Whichever way you look at it, Golden Lilac is likely to prove very hard to beat.

For the full race history and field, CLICK HERE.