Fabre unconcerned at mile trip for Lilac
Thursday 12 July 2012
French trainer Andre Fabre expects the stiff mile on the July Course at Newmarket to be perfect for Golden Lilac in today's Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes.
The Galileo filly has only met with defeat once in seven starts and her victories last season included the French 1000 Guineas and Oaks. She looked better than ever on her comeback in the Prix D'Ispahan, beating Cirrus Des Aigles, after which Fabre hailed her as the best filly he had ever trained.
"She's all right, she's travelled over well. It was a good performance in the D'Ispahan as I didn't think she'd be fit enough. We are bringing her back to a mile, but I'm not worried about that. It's a very stiff mile at Newmarket and that should be fine for her," said Fabre.
"I'd prefer the ground to be good rather than soft, but she can handle it and it is the same for everyone else. After this she will go to Deauville, where she will run in either the Jacques le Marois or the Prix Jean Romanet over 10 furlongs which is restricted to fillies and mares.
"She gets 10 furlongs, as she showed in the Diane last year, but at the moment I'd prefer to stay at this distance until she is 100% as she's been off a long time."
John Gosden has been carrying all before him in recent weeks and runs Elusive Kate and Joviality, although he expects both to have their work cut out.
Despite Elusive Kate being a Group One-winning juvenile and Joviality arriving on the back of a gutsy win in the Windsor Forest at Royal Ascot, Gosden is full of admiration for Golden Lilac.
Elusive Kate has not been seen since disappointing in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf and she has been overlooked by William Buick, with Frankie Dettori coming in for the ride.
"Elusive Kate is in top order. She missed the Guineas and the Coronation, so she's certainly ready to get out and have a race. This is a nice race for Joviality after the Windsor Forest and she's in good order as well, but further rain won't suit either filly," said Gosden.
"I expect Golden Lilac to win, as she is a wondrous filly. I saw her wins in the Pouliches and the Diane and they were exceptional. It's good for Newmarket to have drawn her here."
Alain de Royer-Dupre saddles Giofra, who has won three of her five starts and chased home Cirrus Des Aigles in the Prix Ganay.
Royer-Dupre said: "She is a very good filly and I expect her to handle the step down to a mile. It's a straight mile at Newmarket and I think that she has enough speed for the drop in distance. I think that she has the ability to win a Group One - I don't know when it will happen, but she has that quality."
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