Falmouth Defections Growing

Nemoralia (More Than Rady) will sidestep Friday's G1 Tattersalls 250th Year Falmouth S. at Newmarket and instead head to France to contest the G1 Prix Jean Prat on Sunday. Placed in successive Grade I events in America last autumn–the GI Frizette S. at Belmont Park and the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf at Keeneland, trainer Jeremy Noseda's star filly made a hugely impressive return to action in the Listed Longines Irish Champions Weekend Fillies' S. at York May 13 before filling the runner-up spot behind Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot in June. Noseda remains adamant his 3-year-old will raise her game when encountering a faster surface and he sees this weekend's Chantilly showpiece as an attractive target.

“We're very much looking forward to going for the Jean Prat at Chantilly on Sunday,” the trainer told At The Races. “She's in at Newmarket, but I think she loves a flat track and the July Course, with that uphill finish, is not really what she wants. Chantilly is where I've got my eyes and the weather forecast looks good. The race looks to me like an opportunity where she'll be extremely competitive.”

Also to miss the Falmouth S. is Lael Stable's Hawksmoor (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), after trainer Hugo Palmer feels conditions on the July Course this week will be too fast for his filly and she is set to be saved for either a trip to Ireland or a tilt at the G1 Nassau S. at Glorious Goodwood July 30. A Group 3-winning juvenile in the G3 Prestige S. last season before finishing third to the brilliant Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Fillies' Mile in October, the 3-year-old opened her account for the current campaign when landing the G2 German 1000 Guineas at Dusseldorf a month ago.

“I don't think we'd run her on fast ground and through her own fault she's now quite difficult to place,” the trainer told At The Races. “She's won a Group 3 and a Group 2, so she has to carry a penalty in a Group 2, and she's got to improve some to win a Group 1. She's in the [G2] Kilboy Estate S. at The Curragh on G1 Irish Oaks weekend [July 17], so if they get the rain in Ireland we could go there. There is the Nassau at Goodwood, which is worth three times what the Falmouth is worth, but we'd probably have to chase Minding home. But to chasing Minding home for a second prize of nearly £130,000 is almost worth it.”