Soviet Heading For Falmouth Hat-Trick

Soviet Song is likely to try for a third consecutive success in the UAE Equestrian And Racing Federation Falmouth Stakes following her victory at Royal Ascot.

The popular mare made it fourth time lucky at the Royal meeting in the Windsor Forest Stakes, taking her earnings past the £1million mark, and she will now step back up to Group One company at Newmarket on July 12.

She inflicted the first defeat on Attraction when lifting the Falmouth in 2004 and then beat the talented Irish mare Alexander Goldrun last year for two of her five wins at the highest level.

'I've spoken to James (Fanshawe) and he said all the signs seem to be good and she seems to have taken the race well.

'I'm sure it will be the Falmouth next as long as she's OK. If everything's right I'm sure that's where she'll go,' said Matthew Budden, racing manager to owner/breeders the 22,000-strong Elite Racing Club.

After the Falmouth the next port of call will probably be the Cantor Spreadfair Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on August 2 in which she was second last summer. Her season ended there in 2005 but Budden is hoping it will be a different story this time round.

'Hopefully we can map out a campaign for the latter stages of the season which we haven't been able to do for the last couple of years, which would be nice,' he said.

And this could be Soviet Song's final season before she retires to the paddocks.

'As always we are keeping our options open. The likelihood is it could be her last season but we don't need to make a decision just yet,' he added.

? PA Sport