Horse Racing: Johnston double-handed in Falmouth Stakes

Mark Johnston will employ a two-pronged assault on Friday’s Group 1 Falmouth Stakes with both Threading and Nyaleti throwing down the gauntlet to Irish 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes heroine Alpha Centauri.

Threading was impressive in winning the Listed Michael Seely Memorial when stepped up to a mile at Haydock on her second start of the season, but was six-lengths second to Jessica Harrington’s Alpha Centauri at Royal Ascot.

The daughter of Exceed And Excel has been given the green light to take her chance on the July Course at Newmarket for the £113,420-to-the-winner prize, last won by the yard in 2008 with Nahoodh.

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However, connections know it will be a tough task in turning the form around.

Assistant trainer Charlie Johnston admitted: “The plan is to run both Threading and Nyaleti, but we’d love see Alpha Centauri omitted from the line-up.

“She put us firmly in our place at Royal Ascot and we know we have plenty to find to turn around the form. She was spectacular but both are in good order and you should never be afraid of one horse, so we’ll take our chances.”

Group 2 German 1,000 Guineas winner Nyaleti, who is on a hat-trick, is currently a 12/1 shot to win the 1m feature with Genting Bet, while Threading is currently available at 7/1.

Speedy juvenile Main Edition is also expected to line up for the Middleham yard in the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes on the same card.

Unbeaten in three starts, she landed the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and could meet several of those rivals again in what is boiling up to be a strong renewal of the 6f event.

Johnston said: “The plan is to go there, but it looks as though she will meet the second (La Pelosa), third (Fairyland) and fourth (Angel’s Hideaway) from the Albany, but there is no reason why she should not confirm that form.”

Investec Derby runner-up Dee Ex Bee is entered in both the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Arquana Racing Club Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday and the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on Saturday.

Johnston said: “We’ve left him in at Longchamp but we are waiting to see how the field cuts up. He is also in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes and I think he will run this week, it is just a case of deciding where.”

The three-day meeting kicks off on Thursday with the Group 2 Bahrain Trophy, which often provides clues to the final Classic of the season, the St Leger. It seems likely that Aidan O’Brien’s Queen’s Vase

runner-up Southern France will take his chance in bidding to give the yard a second success in three years following the victory of Housesofparliament in 2016.

HARRY ANGEL MISSES JULY CUP

Meanwhile, Clive Cox has lost his race against time to get sprint star Harry Angel fit to defend his Darley July Cup crown on Saturday.

The Lambourn trainer said this morning that the colt needed more time to recover from a cut leg sustained in the stalls when favourite for the Diamond Jubilee Handicap. Cox admitted: “I’m afraid he’s not going to make it in time for Saturday. After reporting he had done well with the cut to his leg, I feel he is still not 100 per cent and won’t be ready. I couldn’t be confident at this level. You have to be at the top of your game to win a July Cup.

“I need more time to get him back to his very best. I feel that the Haydock Sprint Cup in September is a realistic plan for him.” King’s Stand winner Blue Point, who like Harry Angel is also owned by Godolphin, heads the Genting Bet market for the Group 1 feature. Likely rivals include last year’s champion juvenile US Navy Flag, who would be dropping back in trip from a mile, and leading three-year-old sprinter Eqtidaar, an impressive winner of the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Sir Michael Stoute’s runner is expected to gallop on the July Course ahead of the six-furlong dash on Tuesday morning.

Monday’s afternoon cards take place at Ayr, Wolverhampton and Worcester, with evening meetings at Ripon and Windsor. Check out the latest odds for today’s meetings and follow @Genting_Bet on Twitter. Genting Bet offer Best Odds Guaranteed on every UK and Irish Race each day for 12.00pm. Remember, you must be 18+ to bet. BeGambleaware