Falmouth Stakes

NINE IN STAR-STUDDED FALMOUTH

Special Duty and Lillie Langtry are on course for a mouthwatering clash in the Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday.

The former was awarded both the English and French 1000 Guineas in the stewards' room while Lillie Langtry was back to her best when landing the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

They appear among a star-studded field of nine for the Group One showpiece which also includes Strawberrydaiquiri and Spacious, first and second in the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Antara and Lahaleeb are also set to represent the older generation while the other three-year-old entries at Music Show and Jersey Stakes heroine Rainfall.

really interesting race if they all go to post.

is that your tissue graeme or is someone betting already?

It was plastic pats prices, although they quickly cut SD to 5/2 jf. Now there's no prices at the moment.

not sure timepiece is a 14/1 shot

I had a small dabble on Gile Na Greine at 30/1...she's tough and you never know what could happen in running. Not really interested in a single pricer unless Twice Over wins on saturday.

Lille Langtry, I think is on the up. She had a delayed start to the season and will benefit from that now. special duty has had real hard races and is coming off a break. She will also probably have a jockey who will only be having his first rides back after injury.

Soldier Of Fortune may back me up here on this beautifully bred filly!

soapp my friend you are indeed spot on with your analysis there

Lilly Langtry is a beautifully bred filly by Danehill Dancer and out of a Darshaan mare - perfect breeding for a miler and she'll also get further than that. If you saw her in the parade ring there at Ascot the last day you'll agree she's grown into a fine looking 3YO.

Her natural ability has always been obvious but top amongst her qualities is her attitude - she is such a tough and genuine individual and she'll always try her heart out. For one so young she's plenty experienced enough - the Coronation was her 9th career start and 7 of those were in a very busy 2YO campaign, probably too busy in hindsight some might say.

She takes her races very well and she'll arrive there in Newmarket with a massive chance of further Group 1 success. It's a high quality field and it should be some race, but Lilly Langtry is the class act amongst them and she'll be very hard to beat.

S.o.f , I know you are passionate about the beautifully bred horses and I dont want to be mean, but you do sound like a right ****.

Rainfall for me with Frankie sending them to sleep from the front

how does duel guineas winner special duty not win this if she goes

with an a obv

LOL sintonian

If Music Show is a bit closer to the pace after 2f she wins IMO. If you cant see why watch the Irish 1000 and the Coranation again a few times. Backing her in running as long as she is isn't given too much to do would be very wise. She genuinly could be better than these fillies and I really hope she proves that on the 7th.

sint my friend drop us all a note on here if your twin brain cells ever get to meet each other!

PMSL soldier!

all over Music Show. everything went wrong at Ascot, at Newmarket and at the Curragh- not a 10-1 chance to turn the tables on LL.

I'm warming to Music Show now that its NRNB. She ran well in the Coronation, and as Cruise says, a bit closer to the pace and she has a decent chance. The thing is though, Hughes prefers to come from off the pace. Special Duty is out to 4 with one odd ball firm. If they get a home jockey on board, she won't be 4s for long. I'm going to chance my luck and go with Mus Show at that price.

It's more or less a match between the front two, in my opinion, with a literal interpretation of the form (through Gile Na Greine) suggesting that Lillie Langtry has about a length in hand of Special Duty.  But at the prices (9/4 Lillie Langtry, 4/1 Special Duty) it has to be the French filly for me.  She's in great shape and the booking of Lemaire is a bonus.

Queally rides her now James - Lemaire was injured today

Cheers - yeah, I just heard about Christophe's broken leg.  Queally not a huge positive in my book, but he's good enough if the filly is good enough.

Queally is putting me off going for the hat-trick with her.

Wouldn't normally see Tom as a massive positive but his confidence will be sky high after Saturday - he will give her a good ride imo

Queally is a fine jock.

My first thought on this race is Lillie is far too short. She certainly enjoyed the run of the race at ascot and wouldnt be surprised if Music Show gets a lot closer to her if not even beating her.

I never lay horses but as i can make a case for every other runner bar lahaleeb i've decide to take the plunge.

Music show is one bullet. you have the gunieas winner and unbeaten since special duty cant be bad value at 7/2. Then Rainfall who altho is stepping up in class beat the colts last time

And i havent even got started on the older horses. Im pretty sure bar workforce the classic generation arent much good this year over 1m plus and the jury is very much out concerning the whole crop. We will know a lot more on that score after this weeks racing at newmarket.

I think Lillie is a worthy favourite. After a slow start to the season along with the rest of her stable she produced a truly impressive performance at Ascot and appeals to me as one who can go on from that rather than others who may have already peaked.

(Don't tell SOF I posted this

Im always dubious about backing horses at this level who'v had bad injuries,although she looks none the worse for it. Price a bit skinny imo.

Strawberrydaiquiri is a likeable horse. She has a great tenacity about her but not sure she is quite good enough.

Agree in that the front two are most likely winners, but no bet here.

It is interesting that Queally gets to ride SD, and he will now be able to tell who the better horse is out of her and Jacqueline Quest. Cecil will no doubt be quzzing him afterwards.[;)]

I suspect that we have yet to see the best of Special Duty this season.  She had a rushed preparation for the 1000 Guineas and would have won quite comfortably but for being taken half way across the course.  Then she came from quite a long way back in the French Guineas and was finishing best of all (bar possibly Rosanara).  She's had a nice break and is in very good form.  Lillie Langtry is the obvious danger.

Agree James, had to take some of Coral's 4/1 yesterday, think she's underated by many despite things not going her way in the last 2 runs imo.

well done getting the 4s
still think 7/2 is a fair price. I don't think she will be inconvenieced which ever way race is run tomorrow.
Will be great to see her win fair and square to silence the doubters.

Her 2yo form is head and shoulders above LL's.

should win by a neck then!

jamesp Joined: 05 Jan 02
Replies: 478 06 Jul 10 13:09   


I suspect that we have yet to see the best of Special Duty this season.  She had a rushed preparation for the 1000 Guineas and would have won quite comfortably but for being taken half way across the course.  Then she came from quite a long way back in the French Guineas and was finishing best of all (bar possibly Rosanara).  She's had a nice break and is in very good form.  Lillie Langtry is the obvious danger.

A lot of shrewd judges would take issue with the claim that Special Duty would have won comfortably had she not been carried right by JQ in the 1000. The result could just as easily have been the same, JQ was not for being passed that day. I'm not even gonna go into the other reason why she may not have won the race easily if the race had been fair[;)]!!! If you use Lady of the Desert as a line to the french form then you have to say that Special Duty has a bit to find to be getting close to LL. I think she is one of the worst 1000 Guineas winners I can remember and the race Special Duty "won" next looked to contain a few decent sprinters and group 3 milers at best.

I really hope Music Show is a little closer when push comes to shove tomorrow. Richard Hughes will hopefully have in the right postion to make the move, unlike Moore in the Irish 1000 where I felt he gave the horse too much to do.

Think you'll find R Hughes won't have a choice when to push the button , needs pushing and coaxing from 4 furlongs out. Hughsie will need a week off after that .

Special Duty should be 6/4 so the 7/2 needs to be smashed

I tend to agree with the Music Show supporters, especially at the price. She may well have won the 1000 Guineas had the race not been such a farce and last time out just about everything that could go wrong did.

Of course Lilly Langtree is a dicey mistress, having overcome injury and looking to be improving all the time, but at 9/1 Music Show is really excellent value and has to be backed - she has a much better chance than 9/1 - she should be maybe half that price.

Not deserting SD but covered as not a great Queally fan when it comes to fillies. Pretty certain we haven't seen the best from her yet however she has shown masses of pace and a capacity to battle already. Above average Guineas winner imo the position she came from in France was v impressive.

Agree Special Duty should be fav,hard to know with LL,like the look of Rainfall e/way,Johnstons horses beginning to come into form and he won the race a couple of years back,taking a chance on a SD/Rainfall reverse forecast but not a big betting race for me.....

Special Duty should not be fav on form with LL. If you use Gile Na Greine as a form line on her second to LL at Ascot with her run in the Enlgish 1000 then LL is about 1 length better. If you us Lady of the Deserts running at Ascot with her run in the French 1000 then LL is about 5 lengths plus better. Either way on the bare form there is no way you should be pricing Special Duty up as favourite on what the respective horses have done IMO. The Coronation was the strongest field this season and LL is a justified favourite. The French 1000 was another farce of a race and if anything Lady of the Desert was an unlucky loser. For her to then to beat so easily by LL would be a real worry for me if I was Special Duty backer tomorrow.

This years 3yo fillies simply aren't very good and are all closely matched but LL has arrived late and shown to be better than the rest to date with her run in the Coronation.

That said I still think we haven't seen the best from Music Show. In the English 1000 she was up with the pace on her side, showed decent toe and stayed on right to the line against Rumoush that finished 4th in the Oaks. Since then she has to come from well off the pace against genuine group level performers and not quite got there. In the Irish 1000 she was pushed back a little whilst jostling for postion early on and was given too much to do, missing out by a half a length. In the Corantion she was widest of all and close to last coming around the turn, she was never gonna overcome that draw against a top class field on a short run in and she did very well to get to as close as she did.

Music Show is the only one of the 3 year olds in this race that could be better than Lillie Langtry if they all run to form tomorrow. There are only 8 runners and there is little chance of trouble in running so there is every chance that she could turn the tables.

She could equally be another Youmzain for Channon and knowing my luck she'll paste the 3yos tomorrow and come second behind the very game Strawberrydaiquiri and Spacious!!!

*come third behind the very game......

Are you sure Music Show didn't also slip on a banana skin in any of those races ... Unluckiest horse in training.

eric running in the Falmouth tomorrow there is is horse that has been unlucky in her last three races and there is a horse that has been million to one lucky in being awarded 2 classic races. I can't wait til they meet tomorrow, I've been waiting for Music Show to take on Special Duty since then last met. I'll be on hear after work tomorrow congratulating Special Duty backers if somehting gets thrown out for her to win tomorrow [;)]! But I believe Music Show has her measure, i'm worried more by LL and the older horses.

Good luck all the same.

*here

Finally for those wanting to back Music Show I believe 10/1 is still available in places. I have 10/1 with PP. I'm pretty sure she'll come in a fair bit tomorrow with an SP of more like 6/1 or there abouts. Back tonight for a free bet of at least 3/1 before the off IMO.

I don't intend to do the above but I fully expect it to be possible. Good luck all!

not sure you can trust the form at Ascot to be replicated elsewhere can you?v

Cruise I would be wary of the Gile Na Griene form line because she was bang up against the rail at Ascot and that was the best place to be. Also if you think the 3 y old fillies aren't very good this year then Spacious must take a lot of beating. Just behind Goldikova in this last year and in front of Rainbow View, plus she was placed in her 1000 gns.
What will make the running? I hope Spacious goes on. She won the Windsor Forest last year from the front beating a good field.

Nice arb here Hilly out to 10/1 - 9.6 to lay here .

Has anyone else wondered why Fallon is on Spacious rather than music show. I remember after the nell gwyn he wanted to ride this in the guineas forgetting about mr cumani standing behind him expecting him to be on Seta. This horse really needs winding up, and its best 2 performances have had Fallon on top. I reading to much into this or is there something I dont know. I know murtagh would normally ride spacious but is required for AOB but would Frank Spencer not be the normal angle Fanshaw would go??

special duty for me what everyone is forgetting is that our guineas was run  on good to soft ground and she could have been forgiven had she not even been placed given her rushed prep.  in the french guineas she had a horrendous amount of ground to make up and almost managed it. if its fast groun at n/ket i cant see this filly getting beat and i think she is well above your average guineas winner.you have yet to see the best of her yet.i also think no matter what way the race is run wont be a problem.

cant understand why Music Show is still the price she is? I have had waaay too much on her as I cant see her being longer than 13/2 SP.. surely other people must see how underrated she is? Just a bit worrying that she isn't really shortening on here, yet they are clipping her in the offices

what is less likely, the chances of sof not waxing lyrical about some horse from ballydoyle, or the sun not coming up?

I think the Fallon thing is down to Channon, he done the same thing with Youmzain trying to chop and change the jockey. Lets hope hughesy gets on well with her, although I would prefer Fallon myself too

Are these 3yo's any good. The finished in a bunch in the curragh, draw messed up newmarket, france was another bunch. Lillie is defo the best of them but I'm not sure the 3yo filly milers amount too much.

Stoutes for me.

Very nice Hughesy

Laid Special Duty every time this year and has been "beaten" every time and yet I'm still showing a nasty loss.

well done cruise d.

always nice to be proved correct in the long term even if takes a while.

Yes well done cruise .

Well done to the Music Showers.

Gutted.  I noted Music Show after the guineas but after the last 2 I convinced myself the horse was one of those that was always "unlucky".

good call cruise d, at least you put the bet on early. Perhaps if you'd played in-running you might have felt hughesy was giving her too much to do again. this time it worked though as they went a pretty good gallop up front. No doubt the best filly won though imo

Well done MS backers.

Yes well done. I had a bit for a place on her and Spacious but she still owes me from the 1000 Guineas when I thought she was a good thing.

wd Cruise,Big,Jack.

Good win for Music Show but they went too fast from the start and I don't think she'll necessarily reproduce this performance.

Thank goodness for that. Won at a canter. She always looked to have a lot more than the field, and it was just a matter of time after they went off at a right good old pace.

wd graeme

Well done Music Show backers.  She deserved to win a big one and she beat the older fillies (and the improving Johnston-trained filly) fair and square.  I'm delighted for Mick Channon.  Lillie Langtry ran a bit flat and there was clearly something badly amiss with Special Duty, but take nothing away from Music Show - she's proved herself a smart filly.

Cheers mate. It just jumbles up the filly form even more.

What a great performance today and there are no excuses for any of the runners IMO. Alright the front two went very fast but the likes of Special Duty and LL were being ridden really early and they were beaten a long way out. Only Gile Na Greine has had as many races as Music Show this season and so there are no excuses about others having tough preps either.

This helps a little after I had her at all prices from 40s down to 20s for the English 1000 to win £5500. I have felt robbed ever since if I'm honest and I was really worried the horse was gonna turn out to be one of those nearly horses. I have never been more pleased for a horse winning a race and that has little to do with the fact that it was my biggest winning bet of my life today. She really deserved to prove what she could do against todays field.

No banana skins today eric_morris!!!!

[:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)]

well done to the music followers,decent show today...

Will we see SD as a 4yo ?

you never know,do hennessys train on?