Game Fallen Angel flies high in Prix Rothschild
Owned by the Emir of Qatar's Wathnan Racing, Fallen Angel was one of 13 fillies lining up in the first of five Group 1s at France's extended version of Royal Ascot.
All eyes were on the 2-1 favourite January, who ran second in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes (1,600m) at her last start on July 11. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, the Kingman three-year-old - who has two wins under her belt - looked primed for her first Group 1 win.
But it was longshot Fallen Angel who just denied January of her career-defining moment in the race.
As soon as the stalls opened, the Too Darn Hot four-year-old sprang to the front under jockey Daniel Tudhope and made her way to the centre of the track.
While Fallen Angel led one group of four, a second group had also formed along the grandstand's rails, with the John and Thady Gosden-trained Spiritual (Robert Havlin) in the lead. Irish filly January (Christophe Soumillon) was biding her time right behind Spiritual.
Approaching the 500m, Soumillon felt that the front runners were not going fast enough, so the 10-time French champion jockey angled January to the centre for clear galloping room, and began their hot pursuit behind Fallen Angel.
At the same time, the Karl Burke-trained Fallen Angel ($70) threw down a serious challenge towards the line, kicking off a long duel with January on her outside.
January's stablemate Exactly (Wayne Lordan) also came charging on the inside of Fallen Angel, making it a three-way fight, but O'Brien's second runner did not stick around for long.
It was January who, in the ding-dong battle with Fallen Angel, held on for a slender lead momentarily, but the dogged Fallen Angel regained her lead in the final strides before scraping home by a head.
January was brave in second, while the Christopher Head-trained Start Of Day (Aurelien Lemaitre) stormed home for third another 1½ lengths away.
Burke attributed Fallen Angel's third Group 1 success to the give in the ground and a new headgear.
Although connections were optimistic of her chances, Burke was also wary of another Wathnan Racing-owned filly, Crimson Advocate, who came from last under James McDonald to beat Fallen Angel into third at her last start in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (1,600m) at Ascot on June 18.
Ridden by James Doyle this time, Crimson Advocate made his move shortly after January at the 500m, but the Gosdens-trained four-year-old could manage only sixth.
"I'm absolutely delighted to have a Group 1 winner for Wathnan, they've been huge supporters and long may it continue. I'm delighted for Danny as well," he said.
"I was a little surprised James went the way he did. I know Crimson Advocate beat us at Ascot but we needed that bit better ground and the cheekpieces made a bit of difference.
"Also, her work has taken a step forward since Ascot and especially over the last two weeks. I wouldn't say we were confident but we were bullish going there.
"She doesn't want any firmness in it like she had at Ascot where, coming round the bend, her head just came up a bit.
"She's such an honest game mare, and she was battling back in the last 100 yards then, as she did today. She only does what you ask her to do and Aidan's filly coming to her helped her.
"What I'm really pleased about is that she's emulated Laurens in winning a Group 1 at two, three and four now. The Matron, I would imagine is the next port of call and hopefully, we'll have some nice ground at that time of year.
"There is the mile and a quarter Prix Jean Romanet, but we'll enjoy today, get her home and see how she is, and then I'll speak to the connections. But the way she's won that, I'd be happy to stick at a mile."
Fallen Angel has also won the 2023 Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes (1,400m) as a two-year-old and the 2024 Irish 1,000 Guineas (1,600m) as a three-year-old.
Laurens, a six-time Group 1-winning mare trained by Burke, won The Matron Stakes (1,600m) in 2018. The British trainer is looking to repeat the feat with Fallen Angel when the Group 1 event is run during the Irish Champions Festival at Leopardstown on Sept 13.
The Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet (2,000m) will be at Deauville on Aug 24. FRANCE GALOP
Additional reporting by Sharon Zhang
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Game Fallen Angel flies high in Prix Rothschild
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