racing news/

Seachange and Darjina Set for Newmarket Clash
24/06/08

Two of the world’s international leading ladies are set to lock horns in a top-class renewal of the Group One UAE Hydra Properties Falmouth Stakes (3.10pm) at Newmarket on Wednesday, July 9, the opening day of the Ritz Club July Festival.

Star New Zealand mare Seachange and crack French filly Darjina are both being aimed at the £200,000 mile contest on The July Course.

Seachange also holds the option of contesting the £400,000 Group One Darley July Cup (3.10pm) over six furlongs on Friday, July 11, but trainer Graeme Sanders is favouring a return to a mile after the Cape Cross six-year-old finished 12th on her British debut in the Golden Jubilee Stakes over the sprint distance at Royal Ascot.

Victorious 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 Ritz Club July Festival, which runs for three days from Wednesday, July 9, to Friday, July 11.

Sanders revealed this morning: "We’ll go for the Falmouth Stakes - that’s the plan at this stage. 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, jockey) 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."

French trainer Alain de Royer Dupre plans to run Darjina in the UAE Hydra Properties Falmouth Stakes and is confident of another top-class effort from the four-year-old following her tremendous runner-up finish in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Darjina, already a Classic-winning triple Group One winner in France, has proven herself to be one of the best fillies in the world over a mile and was beaten only a head by the former Australian champion Haradasun in the Group One contest at the Royal Meeting.

The Zamindar filly, owned by Princess Zahra Aga Khan, had the Jim Bolger-trained dual Classic winner Finsceal Beo (entered to reoppose at Newmarket) behind her in third at Ascot, making it the fourth time she has beaten her old rival in as many encounters.

De Royer Dupre revealed today: "Darjina returned home after Ascot and has been playful and full of life. She seems to be very well. She certainly looks well, so if there’s no problem with her, then the plan is to take her to Newmarket for the Falmouth Stakes.

"I am delighted with the way she ran at Ascot. She ran very well against a very good colt and there was nothing between them.

"She will be against only fillies at Newmarket and I am confident that she will run well again. The only problem for her would be if there was too much rain. She needs to have good to firm ground to run her best race."

Darjina would be bidding to become the first French-trained winner of the UAE Hydra Properties Falmouth Stakes since Ronda took the spoils for trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias in 1999.