HEAD OVER HEELS
Normandie Stud's homebred Fallen For You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) was labeled a "TDN Rising Star" at two, but after threatening to not reach her full potential, bounced back with an impressive success in Friday's G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot. Sent off at 12-1, the bay, who was an unpromising sixth in the May 12 G3 Chartwell Fillies' S., arrived from rear under a patient William Buick to pounce with over a furlong remaining and lead home a one-two for the John Gosden barn. Stable companion Starscope (GB) (Selkirk) was 3 1/4 lengths behind. "I always thought she was our best filly last year and she is classy, so this is not a fluke," commented Gosden. "She had trained well and worked beautifully last Sunday morning, and we were ready for a big run if things slotted into place."
Friday, Royal Ascot, Britain
CORONATION S.-G1, £250,000, Ascot, 6-22, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:42.95, sf.
1--#@sFALLEN FOR YOU (GB), 126, f, 3, by Dansili (GB)
1st Dam: Fallen Star (GB) (SW-Eng, GSP-Ity & Ire, $119,889), by Brief Truce
2nd Dam: Rise and Fall (GB), by Mill Reef
3rd Dam: Light Duty (GB), by Queen's Hussar (GB)
O/B-Normandie Stud; T-John Gosden; J-William Buick; £154,535. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-0, £183,240. *1/2 to Fallen Idol (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), SW-Eng, $191,523; Fallen In Love (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), GSP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--Starscope (GB), 126, f, 3, Selkirk--Moon Goddess (GB), by Rainbow Quest. O/B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd; T-John Gosden; £58,588.
3--Irish History (Ire), 126, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)--Spirit of Tara (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (€950,000 yrl '10 GOFSPT). O-Godolphin; B-Kilcarn Stud; T-Mahmood Al Zarooni; £29,321.
Margins: 3 1/4, 2 1/4, 2. Odds: 12-1, 11-1, 11-1.
Also Ran: Samitar (GB), Bugie d'Amore (GB), Laugh Out Loud (GB), Intense Pink (GB), Homecoming Queen (Ire), Russelliana (GB), Cardigan (Ire). Scratched: Elusive Kate, Maybe (Ire).
Fallen For You's reputation preceded her to Newmarket's July Course 11 months ago and she did not disappoint, producing a smart spell of acceleration from rear to open her account over seven furlongs. Sent off the 2-1 favorite in the G2 May Hill S. over a mile at Doncaster in September, she lost out to Lyric of Light (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}), but was only a neck down at the line despite being carried right with Samitar (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) 3 1/4 lengths behind in third. Too keen and possibly still weak when only fifth behind that winner again in Newmarket's G1 Fillies' Mile a fortnight later, she was left alone for the year and returned to make virtually all in a mile conditions event on Kempton's Polytrack May 2. Dropped to seven furlongs and taking on older fillies and mares in Lingfield's G3 Chartwell Fillies' S. again on the Polytrack 10 days later, she was hemmed in on the fence as Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) swooped and finished full of run while dead-heating for sixth. While her reputation was mainly intact after that, she had become something of a forgotten horse and some questioned William Buick's election to ride her over the G1 1000 Guineas S. runner-up Starscope. Reserved with only one behind early as her rivals opted to stick close to the pace set by the runaway 1000 Guineas heroine Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), the bay had a strong tempo to settle into and was traveling notably well as the long-time leader attempted to turn the screw in early stretch. Angled into the clear on the outside, she had dead aim on the green Irish History (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) as that rival rolled to the front passing the quarter pole and had swamped her in a matter of strides. Veering right towards the far rail, she had decisive forward momentum on the tiring ground with her barnmate plugging on to complete a memorable exacta for Clarehaven Stables. "I always felt that things had conspired against her, but today everything went for her," Buick explained. "There was a good gallop, she got cover from the wind and was in a good rhythm. She finished her race very well and won easily and, like John said, this is not a fluke and this is how good she is. Hopefully, from now on it's onwards and upwards, as she's beaten the best of her generation." Gosden added, "I gave the wrong instructions in the Fillies' Mile, as when she was second in the May Hill. She had run a bit green so I said to be up there because the ground was riding fast and the speed was holding at Newmarket, so that was riding her back to front. Then she had a holiday and came back and I think she still had that in her mind, as she was always too keen. Ryan [Moore] won on her at Kempton, but she wasn't where we wanted to be, and got in trouble and learnt a lot last time." Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, was delighted with the performance of Starscope. "We're thrilled she's bounced back to her best," he told PA Sport. "We drew a line under her Newbury run [when third in the Listed Swettenham Stud Fillies' Trial S.], as she got upset in the parade. What she wants is a strong-run mile, as I don't think she stays further. We'llsee where John goes with his other fillies, as she's ground-dependent." Click for the Racing Post chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, courtesy attheraces.com.
