Star Filly to show Bouncebackability at HQ

The Guvnor’s Nap of the Day:

Sometimes you’ve just got to forgive a good filly one bad day — and that’s exactly the case with FALAKEYAH, who’s fancied to get her season firmly back on track in the Pride Stakes (16:45, Newmarket) this Friday.

Sent off the 5/2 second favourite for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, Owen Burrows’ unbeaten New Bay filly simply ran far too freely early on and emptied out when the race began in earnest. Jim Crowley could do little but sit tight as she faded to finish 9th of 11 — but that effort is easily ignored.

Royal Ascot can catch even the best of them cold, especially when they burn too much petrol too soon.

Now, rewind a few weeks to the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Guineas meeting — the very same course and distance she tackles again today. That day, Falakeyah travelled sweetly, kicked clear, and powered home a decisive three-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of her rivals. Timeform didn’t mince their words, calling her “a star in the making” after that Listed-level demolition job.

Connections have clearly taken their time since Ascot, and the Shadwell filly now returns fresh and fitted with a hood for the first time, which should help her settle and produce her best late. With Callum Rodriguez taking over in the saddle and Burrows boasting a strong 23% strike rate with horses coming off a 100-day break, there’s plenty to like about her chances of redemption.

She’ll face a few lively rivals from the classic generation, including Godolphin’s Spirited Style and Victory Queen, but the main threat could come from Gosden’s Sand Gazelle, who’s been shaping like one on the up. Still, if Falakeyah runs to the level she showed here in the spring, the rest could be chasing shadows.

The Guvnor’s Verdict: Forget Royal Ascot — this is Falakeyah’s chance to remind everyone why she was once touted as a potential Group 1 filly in the making. She’s got class, she’s got freshness, and she’s got the set-up to shine.

Falakeyah is a rare 5 star pick for The Guvnor today - so we recommend a double stake:

NAP of the Day: Falakeyah - 4pts WIN at Betfair SP - 16:45 Newmarket

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