Tuesday 6th July 2010
Music tuned for Falmouth show
Music Show (pictured above) will attempt to clinch a first Group 1 victory in a stellar renewal of the £185,000 Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes (3.10pm) at Newmarket tomorrow, Wednesday, 7th July, the opening day of the fabulous Champagne Lanson July Festival.
The mile contest for fillies and mares, which has eight acceptors, is one of the highlights of the three-day meeting at Newmarket’s July Course, which runs from Wednesday, 7th July to Friday, 9th July.
Music Show is already established among the front rank of her generation following a victory in the Group 3 Leslie Harrison Memorial Nell Gwyn Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket on 14th April and a close third in the Group 1 Etihad Airways Irish 1,000 Guineas on 23rd May.
The Mick Channon-trained filly, an unfortunate sixth behind the reopposing Special Duty in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 2, was fourth on her latest outing in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, three and three-quarter lengths behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained Lillie Langtry, who will also bid for honours tomorrow.
Bruce Raymond, racing manager to Music Show’s owner Jaber Abdullah, revealed this morning: “The latest on Music Show is that she is in top condition. She is looking, if anything, better in her coat than she has done all season, which you would probably expect at this time of year.
“She has a couple of lengths to make up on the principals but she is there with a good chance. Fast ground will be in her favour so we are very hopeful.
“She has been slightly unlucky in her races with the wrong draw and other things going wrong, so while she has ground to make up there is a good chance she can. She deserves it.”
Special Duty, trained in France by Criquette Head-Maarek, has the strange distinction of being awarded two classic victories - the 1000 Guineas and the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches - in the stewards’ room.
The remaining two three-year-olds in the eight-strong field are the Mark Johnston-trained Group 3 Jersey Stakes heroine Rainfall and Gile Na Greine, runner-up in the Coronation Stakes for trainer Jim Bolger.
The older contingent is headed by the Sir Michael Stoute-trained four-year-old Strawberrydaiquiri who held the year older Spacious by a short-head to win the Group 2 Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot. The latter, trained by James Fanshawe, was third to the great Goldikova in last year’s Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes.
Completing the star-studded line-up is the Gerard Butler-trained Lahaleeb, who landed the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes in Canada last season when trained by Mick Channon, before being sold for one million guineas
