By Tom Frary
An entirely different proposition away from home soil, Wathnan Racing's Fallen Angel (Too Darn Hot) regained Danny Tudhope and her mojo on Sunday to pick up the winning thread again in Deauville's G1 Prix Rothschild. Benefitting from the reestablishment of a connection that had been ruptured after her success in the Irish 1,000 Guineas last May, the 10-1 shot outstayed the 8-5 favourite January (Kingman) to prevail by a head for a first success in these silks. Start Of Day (Night Of Thunder) was 1 1/2 lengths away in third.
“Toughness is her strong point–I was a bit worried about the ground, but it had dried a bit and she handled it fine,” the winning rider said of the winner, who had also garnered the Moyglare Stud Stakes in Ireland as a two-year-old and had gone four starts winless since her Classic success. “She's been an absolute superstar for me and I'm grateful to be back on her. I have to thank Wathnan and the team at Karl Burke's.”
Purchased by Wathnan before her Matron Stakes appearance in September, Fallen Angel had run second in that Leopardstown contest before trying 10 furlongs in ParisLongchamp's Prix de l'Opera on Arc day. Beaten under two lengths in fourth there, the grey had returned to be sixth when too fresh in the Lockinge before improving for the fitting of cheekpieces when third behind Crimson Advocate (Nyquist) and Cinderella's Dream in Royal Ascot's G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes in June.
With James Doyle on Crimson Advocate here, the way was clear for Tudhope to steer the winner once more and she clearly relished the reunion bounding along in front of the centre group from the outset. Where her run had petered out at Newbury, this time as January loomed and briefly headed her inside the final furlong she was in determined mood and thrust her nose back in front near the line to again bestow the tag of bridesmaid on Ballydoyle's three-year-old.
White Birch Farm's German 2,000 Guineas heroine Matilda (Soldier Hollow) was the race's major disappointment, failing to get meaningfully involved at any stage in 10th.
“I'm absolutely delighted to have a Group One winner for Wathnan, they've been huge supporters and long may it continue,” Karl Burke said. “I'm delighted for Danny as well–I was a little surprised James went the way he did. I know Crimson Advocate beat us at Ascot, but we needed that bit better ground, the cheekpieces made a bit of difference and her work has taken a step forward since Ascot, especially over the last two weeks.”
“She doesn't want any firmness in it like she had at Ascot where, coming round the bend, her head just came up a bit,” he added. “She's such an honest game mare and she was battling back in the last 100 yards then, as she did today. She only does what you ask her to do and Aidan's filly coming to her helped her. I would imagine the Matron is the next port of call and hopefully we'll have some nice ground at that time of year. The way she's won that, I'd be happy to stick at a mile.”
Aidan O'Brien said of January, “She ran a really good race. I'm not sure yet what we'll do next with her. We'll get her home and see. Anyway, she ran very well and the ground was no issue for her.” Christopher Head said of Start Of Day, “This may have been the Rothschild of the decade and we're thrilled to have been part of it. Aurélien Lemaitre rode a very smart race throughout and Start of Day finished strongly with a pleasing action. She'll be even better over further! We're aiming her at the Prix Jean Romanet. I'd like to thank Mr Saito and Sébastien Desmontils for entrusting me with such wonderful horses.”
Fallen Angel rallies gamely to land the Group One Prix Rothschild at Deauville! 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/QGAQmHCRnJ
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 3, 2025
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