Falmouth Stakes Preview: Crimson Advocate and Cinderella's Dream Reignite Rivalry

The first of the Group 1s at Newmarket's July Festival comes up on Friday afternoon as the Fillies & Mares take centre stage for the Falmouth Stakes.

The mile event typically pits some of the best three-year-olds against their elders, with the likes of Goldikova, Alpha Centauri, Snow Lantern, Nashwa and Porta Fortuna recent winners.

The Duke of Cambridge Stakes one-two Crimson Advocate and Cinderella's Dream will face off in a fascinating rematch after both were declared for the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (15:35) at Newmarket and they headline a field of nine for the Group 1 contest on day two of the July Festival. Here's our look at the contenders.

Novibet Betting Offer

Cinderella's Dream (Charlie Appleby / William Buick)

A hugely consistent Shamardal filly, Cinderella's Dream has finished outside the first two only once in 11 career starts. Her seven wins include the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket in May over 1m1f and she was second in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot behind Crimson Advocate. She finds herself 3lb better off with that rival now.

Crimson Advocate (John & Thady Gosden / James Doyle)

This US import is really finding her groove for the Gosden yard after being upped from sprinting following a 2024 interlude. A Listed winner at Goodwood over a mile in May, she followed up by downing Cinderella's Dream in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last month — with Running Lion back in fourth.

Elmalka (Roger Varian / Silvestre De Sousa)

The Kingman filly was a surprise winner of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket last season but is 0-5 since. She hasn't been running badly and has been kept to high-quality races but will have to find her A-game dropped back to the bare mile to prevail.

Running Lion (John & Thady Gosden / Oisin Murphy)

She won the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer but has run some disappointing races since. Cheekpieces were applied when taking fourth in the same contest last month, behind two of these rivals, and a full revival is required if this Roaring Lion mare is to provide the answer here.

Atsila (Donnacha O'Brien / Gavin Ryan)

A progressive daughter of Phoenix Of Spain, she won her first two starts at Bellewstown and the Curragh — latterly a Group 3 — before coming up shy in the Irish 1000 Guineas in late May. Connections stick to Group 1 company here and she is one of four three-year-olds in the field getting weight.

Elwateen (Saeed bin Suroor / Jim Crowley)

The thrice-raced daughter of Dubawi won on the Polytrack at Kempton last summer and put up a fine showing to be fourth in the 1000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile in May on her next start after a long break. She looked a non-stayer in the Oaks since at Epsom and remains very low-mileage.

January (Aidan O'Brien / Ryan Moore)

The Kingman filly is very consistent for Ballydoyle and twice finished second behind the 1000 Guineas winner Desert Flower last season. Well held in the Irish Guineas on her seasonal return, she stepped up on that when a close third in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Lady Ilze (Andreas Wohler / Adrie de Vries)

This German raider adds some intrigue to the race after winning the 1000 Guineas equivalent at Dusseldorf in her native land last time out.