Dubai: Integral became only the third favourite in 11 years to win the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes as Dubai-owned Rizeena had to settle for second place in the latest renewal of the prestigious mile event for fillies and mares at Newmarket, UK, on Friday.
Owned by Shaikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, Rizeena was bidding to pocket a second Group 1 win following her success in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
Godolphin’s Certify, winner of the Group 1 Shadwell Fillies Mile two seasons ago, was unable to pose a threat and trailed in last of seven.
Integral provided Sir Michael Stoute with a fourth victory in the Falmouth after Sonic Lady won back-to-back races in 1986-87 and Lovers Knot triumphed in 1998.
Meanwhile, the depth of talent in the two-year-old string of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, was demonstrated when Markaz and Maljaa on Friday posted impressive victories at Ascot and York respectively.
The former scored under a confident ride by Shaikh Hamdan’s retained rider Dane O’Neill, while German-born Frederik Tylicki needed to exert some pressure on Maljaa in order to secure a half-length victory.
Deeds Not Words landed a 33-1 upset for Mick Channon in the Betfred Mobile Stakes (Heritage Handicap) at Newmarket, but it was Ryan Moore’s hat-trick that was the highlight of the second day’s racing at the July Festival.
The three-time champion jockey swept the first three races on rain-softened ground at British racing’s headquarters, culminating in the Falmouth Stakes.
“It was always going to be a messy sort of race. I thought I was on the best horse and I wanted to keep it simple,” Moore told Channel 4 Racing.
“I was in front earlier than I wanted to be, but she’s improving and, hopefully, will continue to get better. I see no reason why she shouldn’t.
“She’s a very lightly raced filly, she won on Oaks day last year [at Goodwood] and has progressed nicely since.”
Stoute added: “She’s done it well. She hasn’t been on this sort of ground before and bounces off the top of the ground, so we were a bit concerned as we didn’t know if she would handle it.
“She’s in the Sussex Stakes, I don’t know if we will take on the colts but there are all the Group Ones and she is well entered up.”
Clive Brittain was happy with Rizeena’s effort, saying: “Today we were beaten by a better horse, but that’s life — she has run right up to what I expected,” he said.
“She’s a very good filly, she’s lost nothing in defeat and she will probably go on to the Prix Rothschild at Deauville.”
