Two Aidan O'Brien fillies out as Newmarket ground softens for Friday card

Magic Wand and More Beautiful will not take part on day two of the July festival at Newmarket after persistent rain turned the ground soft.

Aidan O'Brien said his two fillies would not contest the Group 1 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes and Group 2 bet365 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes on account of the softening ground.

O'Brien said: "Neither of them run. The ground has gone a little too soft."

A total of 3mm of rain fell on Thursday at Newmarket, where runners will have fresh ground on Friday with the action switching to the course furthest from the stands.

Michael Prosser, Newmarket’s racing director, said on Thursday: “We’re on the farside course tomorrow, so we’ll have fresh ground up the home straight to start.

“We’ve got showers forecast to be around tomorrow coming down from the north but there are sunny spells as well and we’re forecast to be dry on Saturday.

“We’ll be back on the stands’ side course for Saturday and the stalls will be on the stands’ rail too, and we’ll be realigning and walking both courses before each day's racing over the next two days.”

The Met Office forecast for the east of England region on Friday is for showery rain, heavy and thundery at times, with showers easing through the morning and clearing for sunny intervals.

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