'I'm seriously excited' - trainer quotes for a fascinating Falmouth

Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (Group 1) | 1m | 3yo+ fillies and mares | ITV3/RTV

It is not only the England football team who are bidding to bridge a long gap between top-level triumphs at a venue.

Leading owner and breeder Jeff Smith may have won countless big prizes in the past four decades, but he has not landed one of the Group 1 prizes at the Newmarket July Festival since the brilliant Chief Singer saw off all the best sprinters around in the July Cup in 1984.

He is full of hope of landing another one 37 years on as Alcohol Free attempts to land the third Group 1 triumph of her career.

Last year's Cheveley Park Stakes winner put her 1,000 Guineas defeat behind her when landing the Coronation Stakes on heavy ground at Royal Ascot last month.

Smith said: "She was most impressive at Ascot and there was no doubt about the result. It will be different ground here but she'll go on anything.

"She's done extremely well since then, I saw her a couple of days ago and she looked great. But the opposition is stiff, as always. It's the first time the generations have mixed so who knows how they will compare – we've got to find out."

Oisin Murphy's mount tops the ante-post betting and Smith believes the bookmakers have it right.

He said: "I think she's got a favourite's chance but, as we all know, that doesn't necessarily mean a great deal. But I'm pretty hopeful that if she runs her race she's going to be there or thereabouts."

Alcohol Free: 'I'm pretty hopeful that if she runs her race she's going to be there or thereabouts'Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Snow Lantern bids to turn the tables

Sean Levey and Richard Hannon are a team to be reckoned with in Group 1 company and the market has taken note this time.

The jockey has won three top-level races for his trainer in the past three years and each time the winner was returned at double-figure odds, with Billesdon Brook a shock 66-1 winner of the 1,000 Guineas back in 2018.

However, Snow Lantern is near-certain to be single-figure odds as she bids to avenge her dam Sky Lantern's controversial Falmouth Stakes defeat in 2013.

She only has a length and a half to make up on her Coronation Stakes conqueror Alcohol Free and she pleased Levey in a pre-race spin on Thursday.

"She felt very good and I'm looking forward to it," the jockey said. "She proved at Ascot she's worth siding with and the ground was against her there, all her best work is on better ground so that was a step into the unknown and she still ran a good race.

"It's quite an open race, I don't think the older horses bring much threat and I definitely think Alcohol Free is still the one to beat."

Snow Lantern has to avenge her defeat behind Primo Bacio in Listed company at York, where she spoiled her chance by racing too freely.

Levey added: "My horse did everything the wrong way round at York. There's no doubt the winner is a very good filly but whether Newmarket will suit her is questionable.

"Snow Lantern is a strong traveller and it tends to suit horses that can travel down into that dip. She must have every chance."

Snow Lantern: 'She must have every chance'Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Mother back for more on the July course

Has Aidan O'Brien met his Waterloo? He will be hoping that he has in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes today.

No filly has won the 1,000 Guineas on the Rowley Mile then returned to the other track at Newmarket two months later to land this contest since Waterloo lifted both races for Bill Watts in 1972.

O'Brien took the fillies' classic for the seventh time when Mother Earth triumphed under Frankie Dettori on the Rowley Mile in May.

Now, he bids for a third Falmouth with a three-year-old who was second in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp before finishing third behind Alcohol Free and Snow Lantern in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The trainer said: "We were delighted with her last start in the Coronation Stakes – we have been for all her runs this season. Everything has gone smoothly with her since Ascot."

Mother Earth wins the 1,000 GuineasCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

What they say

Johnny Murtagh, trainer of Champers Elysees
She ran well at Ascot, came out of it really well and this is a nice race for her. She seems to come good around this time of the year.

Thady Gosden, joint trainer of Indie Angel
Indie Angel won well at Royal Ascot when she had her ground and hopefully she will again, although this is a much tougher race. She's pleased us since and this is the obvious race for her.

William Jarvis, trainer of Lady Bowthorpe
I'm very happy with her, she's in really good form. She's taking on the three-year-olds and the 9lb weight-for-age probably works in their favour at this time of year so she'll have to perform to her Lockinge form. We've got her as good as we can get her.

Alastair Donald, racing manager to King Power Racing, owner of Queen Power
She ran a great race at Ascot, she lost a shoe which might have cost her second as there was nothing between her and Lady Bowthorpe. They've got to give 9lb to the three-year-olds, which is quite a tough task, however we don't know how good this three-year-old crop is. She's super tough and has never missed the frame yet.

Shane Crosse, rider of Pretty Gorgeous
I'm really looking forward to riding her and she looks to be going there with a solid chance if producing her best form. She's going to have to improve on her first two starts, but she's a big filly and you'd hope that she'll continue to come forward as the year goes on.

Ed Walker, trainer of Primo Bacio
Her form was well franked at Royal Ascot. The ground looks like being in her favour and she's in rude health. Nobody really knows how the three-year-olds will get on against the older horses but I'm seriously excited about our filly.

Primo Bacio: 'She's in rude health, really, really well'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Jane Chapple-Hyam, trainer of Saffron Beach
When she went for the 1,000 Guineas I felt she'd be in the first three and although the Falmouth looks a very strong race, she's definitely entitled to be involved in the finish. Nearly all of her main opponents ran at Royal Ascot, so it's going to be interesting to see how they turn around in just three weeks. We've had five weeks since the Oaks and that's definitely a plus.

Read more Friday previews:

Keith Melrose has a deep dive into the record of three-year-olds in the Falmouth (Members' club)

Mark Johnston bids to add another victory to remarkable record in hot handicap

Albany Stakes form put to the test as Sandrine headlines intriguing rematch

'We've won big races all over the world but it hasn't happened in England'

Lightly raced improvers or battle-hardened stayers: who will come out on top?

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