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Abu Dhabi: A cracking contest is on the cards today in The UAE Hydra Properties Falmouth Stakes - a Group 1 race for fillies and one of the feature races at Britain's historic Newmarket race course.
Run for three year-olds and older over a mile, this Group 1 event is one of the highlights of the July meeting here with Darjina, Seachange, Finsceal Beo and Majestic Roi meeting again after the Dubai Duty Free on Dubai World Cup night.
The Zamindar filly Darjina, from Alain de Royer-Dupre's yard, starts off as the favourite in this £200,000 race but the triple Group 1 winner's only worry will be the rain and soft ground.
Beaten to second place by Jay Peg on Dubai World Cup night, Darjina has since finished second twice, the last time at Ascot last month. Beaten by a head by Haradasun in the Queen Ann in Ascot, Darjina has been favoured to take this Newmarket feature, but if the rain falls heavily there is every chance of her connections pulling out the star campaigner.
The Graeme Sanders-trained Seachange will be under UAE-based jockey Ted Durcan, and along with Finsceal Beo and Infallible pose a strong challenge to Darjina.
'Terrific field'
Sir Michael Stoute, who has won the Falmouth Stakes four times, is represented by Heavenly Sent, while Frankie Dettori will be aboard Nahoodh, owned by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
"This is a terrific field and we are very happy to be associated with this race for the second consecutive year," said Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim, Chief Executive Officer of Hydra Properties.
"This racecourse is steeped in history and is the original home of the Jockey Club, and I am told that Britain's first ever race under rules was staged here over three centuries ago. To be racing at this centre is great for Hydra properties and the UAE," Al Fahim said.
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