Veracious Digs Deep to Land Falmouth Stakes

Oisin Murphy was tickled pink after setting fractions to the second to nail a first group 1 of the year July 12 aboard Veracious in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket.

Spoiled last year with the likes of Roaring Lion, Lightning Spear, and The Tin Man at the top level, Murphy had been struggling to find the group 1 mark in 2019, and his delight when holding off runner-up One Master by a neck was clear to see as he repeatedly clenched his fist after the line.  

"These group 1s are very hard to come by," said Murphy before bolting to Chepstow for five rides. "I had a brilliant year last year, and, of course, you want to keep progressing, so to get on this filly with a chance in a group 1 was massive."

Locked in an early battle with Danny Tudhope as he chases a first flat jockey's championship, Murphy began the day with just three winners from 29 rides since Monday and did not need reminding he had been rattling the woodwork of late.  

"On a day-to-day basis, I've been hitting the crossbar," admitted the rider. "Every day I've got good rides and want to do well for people. If I go a day without riding a winner, I get on top of myself." 

Returning to Veracious, he added: "I got a bit of confidence from Sir Michael Stoute because she was beaten in a group 2 last time against a similar field, and he wouldn't run her in a group 1 for no reason. I wasn't sure if I'd hold on, but she was giving it her all. She was a spare ride at Ascot, so maybe I had a bit of luck getting on her in the first place." 

Winning trainer Stoute felt Veracious had run with the choke out when fourth in the June 19 Duke of Cambridge Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot and heaped praise on Murphy's well-judged ride from the front. 

"It was a very brave performance, and he rode her beautifully," said Stoute, won won the race for a sixth time and first since Integral scored in the same Cheveley Park silks in 2014. "She ran very well at Ascot but was always doing a little too much, and we didn't want that again today. He let her flow, and she was game. She's taken a long time to really ripen, and, actually, Ryan Moore rode her a couple of weeks ago and said, 'She's there now.'"

After making her breakthrough at group 1 level, Veracious entered the betting at 20-1 with Betfair for the £1 million Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) at the end of the month, although the Qatar Nassau Stakes (G1) at the same meeting—in which she finished third behind Wild Illusion last season—is a viable alternative. 

"She has good form at a mile and a quarter from last year, but we don't have to make a decision yet," Stoute added. "I think she can go eight or 10 furlongs."

William Haggas, who has endured a torrid time with stable star Sea of Class battling for her life after a career-ending bout of colic, had his mood temporarily lifted by runner-up One Master. 

"She ran a fantastic race," said the trainer. "The trouble is, her best trip is seven furlongs, and there aren't any group 1 races over seven until the Prix de la Foret. I don't know where she'll run next."



Eighth Top-Level Winner for Frankel

Frankel supplied his eighth group 1 winner since retiring to Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud when Veracious carried the colors of owner/breeder Cheveley Park Stud to victory.

The 4-year-old filly is the fifth foal out of Infallible, making Veracious a half sister to dual group 2-winning miler Mutakayyef and Prix de Flore (G3) scorer Intimation.

Friday's result means Veracious went one better than her dam did when tackling the Falmouth Stakes, as Infallible finished second to Nahoodh in 2008.

"It's a fantastic result for the whole team. We're absolutely delighted with her," said Cheveley Park Stud's managing director, Chris Richardson. "She's a highly-strung filly that has come good as the season has progressed. She ran her best race in the Nassau last year, and she'll probably go there now—though there are other options and lots of nice races in the autumn."

Infallible is out of Irresistible, meaning she is a sister to the listed winner Remarkable and the smart sprinter Watchable. She is also a three-parts sister to Penchant, the dam of Garswood, who stands at Cheveley Park Stud.

Infallible also has a 2-year-old colt by Golden Horn named Galata Bridge and a yearling full brother to Veracious.

Frankel, who stood the most recent breeding season at a fee of £175,000, has now supplied 70 stakes performers, 34 group winners, and 10 sons and daughters who've struck at listed level.

The result was also another notable one in the broodmare sire career of Pivotal. Infallible became his fifth daughter this year alone to supply a group 1-winning son or daughter.

The remarkable son of Polar Falcon has already been represented by Commonwealth Cup (G1) victor Advertise (out of Furbelow); Coronation Cup (G1) hero Defoe (out of Dulkashe); dual One Thousand Guineas heroine Hermosa (out of Beauty Is Truth); and Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) winner Magical (out of Halfway To Heaven) as damsire on the group 1 stage this year.

Those headline talents join the likes of Cracksman, Mabs Cross, Mayson, and Rhododendron as elite winners to be produced by a Pivotal mare.

"It's another great success for Pivotal and Infallible," added Richardson. "She's from a good family, and it's just very exciting."

Moreover, Veracious denied One Master, who is also out of a Pivotal mare, while the Cheveley Park Stud stalwart was also represented as the broodmare sire of Raffle Prize, the daughter of Slade Power who landed the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes (G2) earlier on the Newmarket card.