Rainfall

Mentioned here before after she won her maiden at Thirsk in May, Rainfall she deserves another mention for her run in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July meeting on Wednesday. Frankie Dettori settled her out the back off what was a fairly brisk pace, she was travelling as well as eventual winner Music Show three furlongs out, and she moved up menacingly a furlong and a half out, but she just failed to see it out as well as the winner, just failing to get past Spacious who kept on really well to maintain second place.

This mile trip probably stretched Rainfall’s stamina to its limit, she just failed to pick up inside the final furlong having travelled really well into the race. Her most impressive performance came on her previous run when she was a really game winner of the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot over seven furlongs, herself and Red Jazz coming clear in a fast time, nearly two seconds faster than standard. That form was boosted when Red Jazz was only just beaten by subsequent Summer Mile winner Premio Loco in a Group 3 race at Newmarket on his only subsequent run. Rainfall was having just her fourth ever run in the Falmouth, she is still highly progressive and, on this evidence a Group 1 win should be well within her reach. Trainer Mark Johnston seems to think that she stays a mile okay, but it looks like seven furlongs will be her optimum. She could go for the Prix Maurice de Gheest now, which is run over six and a half furlongs, and the Prix de la Foret, run over seven on Arc de Triomphe weekend.

7th July 2010