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Avenir Certain goes in Falmouth Newmarket's July festival continues with Friday's card featuring an open renewal of the Falmouth S. (Eng-G1), which brings some of the best from France and Ireland into battle against the home contingent. Chief among the Gallic protagonists is last year's Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1) and Prix de Diane (Fr-G1) heroine Avenir Certain (Le Havre), who re-opposes Prix Bertrand du Breuil (Fr-G3) winner Fintry (Shamardal) after her highly encouraging second in that June 14 Chantilly mile contest. That performance was a step forward from a disappointing re-entry when only seventh in the Prix du Muguet (Fr-G2) at Saint-Cloud on May 1 and trainer Jean-Claude Rouget has her at a peak again. "She is OK, nothing has gone wrong. She has been well prepared and we are hoping she runs a good race," Rouget said. Last year's Prix de Sandringham (Fr-G2) winner Fintry is one of two Godolphin representatives alongside the Jim Bolger-trained three-year-old Lucida (Shamardal), who advertises the leading form of the classic crop after finishing second in the One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket on May 3 and third in the Coronation S. (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot on June 19. Also at the Royal meeting was much-improved four-year-old Amazing Maria (Mastercraftsman), who made a mockery of her 25-1 odds when scoring with authority in the June 17 Duke of Cambridge S. (Eng-G2) where last year's Falmouth heroine Integral (Dalakhani) was a disappointing fifth. "She's been good since Ascot, she was very impressive down there and I'm hoping it was not just a one-off and that she can go down and be competitive," trainer David O'Meara said. "I didn't think she could win it, but she was the best filly on the day." One of the more intriguing contenders is Bawina (Dubawi), who was on the fringes of top class last term and returned with a fluent win in the Prix du Muguet. "We have always liked his filly and it was always the plan to keep her for Group 1 races after she won so well at Saint-Cloud," the owner-breeders' racing manager Pierre Yves-Bureau said. "It is true that she doesn't mind the ground being a bit softer, but we are more concerned about the other horses than the ground." Earlier on the card, Illuminate (Zoffany) has all the right credentials to further enhance her reputation in the Duchess of Cambridge S. (Eng-G2). Firmly on top at the end of a typically competitive renewal of the Albany S. (Eng-G3) at Royal Ascot three weeks ago, the unbeaten bay hails from the Richard Hannon stable so accomplished in this country's prestigious juvenile events. "She can get a bit warm and it is imperative that (jockey Richard) Hughesie can get her relaxed both in the race and during the preliminaries on what looks like being a hot day," he explained. "He got her switched off at Ascot, but Wes Ward's filly went so fast that Lochsong would have been able to switch off in that race, so I just hope that there is again plenty of pace on and that Hughesie can use her finishing kick to similar advantage. She looked a very smart filly at Ascot and hopefully she can prove here that she has what it takes to go on to races like the Lowther and the Cheveley Park." Standing in Illuminate's way is another who shone in Berkshire in Easton Angel (Dark Angel), albeit when second to Acapulco (Scat Daddy) in the Queen Mary S. (Eng-G2). Al Shaqab Racing and Ritchie Fiddes' previously unbeaten gray was clear of the remainder, which included the respective re-opposing third and fourth Besharah (Kodiac) and Kurland (Kheleyf), and Fiddes is full of confidence. "We're very much looking forward to getting her back on the racecourse after what she did at Royal Ascot," he said. "She bumped into a freak that day, but proved she can perform at Group level. The way she galloped past the line would suggest she should stay the six furlongs well. She looks to be well drawn and hopefully has every chance of running a big race. "We always weigh our horses and the race actually took very little out of her. Even straight after the race you'd hardly know she'd had a race. She is just a pleasure to own, as she has such a great attitude and hopefully we can start looking at Group 1 targets if all goes well." The race's dark horse is the once-raced Haydock maiden scorer Blue Bayou (Bahamian Bounty) and it is significant that trainer Brian Meehan has booked Ryan Moore for the filly who caused a surprise when winning that June 10 six-furlong contest. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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