Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes report: Cinderella's Dream strikes for Godolphin

Second to the reopposing Crimson Advocate when conceding three pounds in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, the 5/2 winner came through to throw down her challenge a furlong-and-a-half out.

At that stage the strong-travelling 6/4 favourite January was in front and on the stands’ rail under Ryan Moore, William Buick aboard the winner coming across from the centre to challenge next to her.

It was a tight battle but 50 yards from the post it was clear the older filly had the three-year-old’s measure, the globetrotting Cinderella’s Dream going on to score by half-a-length and add to her trainer's fine July Festival tally.

It was a further length-and-three-quarters back to Crimson Advocate in third.

Appleby said: “She is tough at the end of the day. We went to Ascot with a lot of confidence and she was favourite on the day, but as I said in a couple of pre-race interviews I don’t know if she was quite 100 per cent for whatever reason. We were happy going in there, but when I watched the race I felt we were beaten too far out. I can use the three pounds (we were giving Crimson Advocate) as an excuse, but we were beaten turning in in my opinion.

“She is just tough and saw it out as she always does. That was Ascot and we gave her a nice freshen up. Well done to the team back home as they have done a great job as always. They have given me all the information to tell me if she is right or not right. We were happy coming here, but we knew we had the weight allowance to give away there.

“I felt today she travelled better and even saddling her the lad that looks after her he said she has never felt this good as she is tugging me around the paddock. I said to Will try and sit a bit closer if we can than we did at Ascot, but he was just travelling much sweeter today.

“When they locked horns Aidan’s filly (January), you had to respect the way it was travelling through the field, but when she didn’t quicken away I thought there is a battle on now as I know we get 10 furlongs. You are far from confident until you cross the line, but I did feel once they hit the rising ground it would be a tough one to get past her.

“We always look for excuses when we are beaten so we used the turn at Ascot , and we used the three pounds, but she has gone around Del Mar and you aren’t going to get many tighter turns than Del Mar so I can’t really say Ascot was going to be a challenge for her.

“Will was happy over that trip going a straight mile. A mile on a turn might be sharp enough, but a straight mile helped her use that bit of stamina we know she has got. She broke her maiden at Lingfield then we went up to Thirsk after that. She is knee high to a grasshopper, but she is as tough as teak. I’m delighted for her as she has been so consistent so for her to win a Group One in Europe was much deserved.

“We are going to work back from the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. It annoyed me when it got away from us last year so we will go back for another crack at that. How we get there we will work it out.”

France next for January

Aidan O’Brien said of the runner-up: “She ran a lovely race and she is improving. We think there is more improvement to come. She has a lot of ability does this filly and she is improving so it is definitely coming. She is a miler as she is quick. We are slowly getting closer.

“There is always frustration, but she ran a great race and we are delighted. We think we are on the right road. There is a Group One fillies race in Deauville in two or three weeks time so maybe something like that.”

Richard Brown, racing advisor for Wathnan Racing, said of Crimson Advocate: “I thought she ran a great race. The lack of early pace didn’t really help her cause, but she has run a great race and the winner, and the second, are very good fillies.

“I’m delighted with the run, maybe she might be better going around a bend, but we will see. I’m very happy with that. For me it was just pace. If they had gone out and gone hard he would have been able to creep into a bit more rather than make a move. I think there is a Group One in her. She goes on very quick ground. We will chat with all the team, but I think America will come into the equation at some stage.”

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Timeform view from the course - David Cleary

The first clash of the generations at Group 1 level between the best miling fillies went narrowly the way of the older brigade, with the four-year-old Cinderella's Dream edging out the year-younger January. The latter was a well-backed favourite, but the winner had the best form of didn't need to improve on her performance in the Dahlia Stakes on her reappearance to prevail as she did. January, in running her close, found some improvement.

The early stages of the race were a bit messy, the expected pacemaker Running Lion taking a furlong to get to the front after missing the break. The race developed from after halfway, all the principals making their move from off the pace. January made smooth headway on the stand side of the pack, while Cinderella's Dream and Crimson Advocate, who'd beaten her in the Duke of Cambridge, made their effort on the far side.

January got smoothly to the front but Cinderella's Dream kept finding, probably also helped by drifting over to race alongside January. Crimson Advocate, who kept to the centre, was a bit below her Ascot form in third.

Cinderella's Dream holds an entry in the Nassau Stakes and could well benefit for a step back up in trip. The progressive January is in just about every race imaginable between a mile and a mile and a half, though she seems likely to stay a mile and a quarter tops on pedigree.

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