French filly Darjina out for Queen Anne compensation at Newmarket

13 April 2012

Queen Anne Stakes runner-up Darjina is set for another trip to England to contest the UAE Hydra Properties Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on July 9.

French handler Alain de Royer-Dupre pinpointed the Group One event, won last year by Simply Perfect, as the ideal race for the filly.  

Sun you win: Haradasun got the better of the Darjina in The Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot

Sun you win: Haradasun got the better of the Darjina in The Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot

The four-year-old has finished runner-up on all three of her starts this season, including in the Dubai Duty Free in March.  

'Darjina, if she looks well, will go for the Falmouth at Newmarket next,' said De Royer-Dupre. 

'It was good to see her run a big race at Ascot (behind Haradasun) because she had been poor there twice before (in the Coronation and QEII). 

'In every race she has run this year she has faced very stiff competition. 

'She could take in the same races as last year at the end of the season such as the Prix du Moulin and the Queen Elizabeth II, but we will need to see what happens. 

'We will have to see how she is, though, because when you go to Dubai it is a long time to keep them at the top - especially for a filly.'

Stablemate Sageburg, who had beaten Darjina in the Prix d'Ispahan, could only finish sixth in the same race at Ascot and is likely to stay at home for his next race. 

'Sageburg will go for the Prix Jacques le Marois next (Deauville, August 17),' said De Royer-Dupre. 

'It wasn't the ground that beat him at Ascot, he just had a bad race.  

'He pulled very hard at the beginning, which he doesn't do normally.  

'He's still a very good horse, as he showed when he beat Darjina.'

New Zealand mare Seachange is likely to revert to a mile after finishing unplaced in the six-furlong Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on her British debut.  

A winner seven times at Group One level from six furlongs to a mile in her homeland, Seachange will bid to become the first Kiwi-trained winner at Newmarket's July meeting. 

'We'll go for the Falmouth Stakes - that's the plan at this stage,' said trainer Graeme Sanders. 

'We are going to leave her in the July Cup in the meantime and then make a final decision, but it looks like the Falmouth Stakes is the best way to go with her.  

'It's a stiff six here so that wouldn't be a concern with regard to the July Cup but we know the mile is ideal for her.

'We didn't get a real good line on her the other day because she was in the wrong place on the track. They needed to be on the stands' side. 

'Ted (Durcan) said she didn't handle the track and she wouldn't let herself down on the ground, which was too rough where she was. 

'She just needed the better ground, but he didn't knock her around at all, just gave her a run and said to forget about it. He'll ride her again at Newmarket.  

'She's come through the race well and I'm pretty happy with her. We just hope it stays dry now because she's got to have that firm ground.'

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