Goodwood an option for Just Beautiful after fine Falmouth effort

Ivan Furtado proud of filly’s run in hot renewal of Newmarket feature.

Just Beautiful will continue her quest for a Group-race victory after her gallant sixth-placed performance in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes.

A Group One race run over a mile, this year’s renewal of the fillies-only Falmouth was incredibly competitive both on paper and in practice.

Just Beautiful went into the Newmarket showpiece unbeaten, having won four races including the Listed Maggie Dickson Stakes at Musselburgh in June, but was still a 40-1 shot as she crossed paths with some of the highest-quality fillies in training.

Saturday’s race therefore represented a significant step up in grade, but Ivan Furtado’s three-year-old was far from outclassed as she led at a fair pace and was eventually beaten by two lengths and a quarter on the line.

“I was delighted with her run, she did run a blinder really,” he said.

“To compete at that level against the best fillies in Europe, the best milers, she proved she can cope in there.

“She didn’t have it easy from the front, they went a good pace and she probably didn’t start from the right side of the track with the way the race developed.

“It was her first time stepping up to a mile so to be beaten by two lengths and a quarter in the Falmouth is unbelievable, a great run.”

Snow Lantern was triumphant, with Guineas winner Mother Earth in second in front of Alcohol Free, who took the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“There were some very good fillies behind her,” Furtado said.

“And the ones in front of her were the Guineas winner and the Coronation Stakes winner and runner-up, they are top fillies.

“To be competing with fillies 10lb higher-rated and run a race like that, it’s a phenomenal performance.”

Goodwood’s Group Three Oak Tree Stakes is now under consideration as Furtado plots a further bid for Pattern success.

“We’ll see how she comes out of and think about it,” he said.

“There is the option to go to Goodwood for the Oak Tree Stakes, but it might come too soon.

“We’re keen to keep her with the fillies because she’s not the biggest horse, we’re going to campaign her wisely and try to get a Group race.

“Going on that performance there, if that race, the Falmouth, was like previous years then she would have been unlucky not to get placed or even won.

“It just happened to be one of the best Falmouths ever, the time is telling us that anyway, and we still think she can win a Group race.”

Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.

Latest