Spacious & Lillie ready for battle

James Fanshawe and Aidan O'Brien are relishing the battle of the generations as Spacious and Lillie Langtry prepare to square up in the Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket next week.

The Group One event offers the first opportunity for the Classic crop of fillies to meet their elders, with O'Brien's Lillie Langtry heading to the July meeting after her thumping Coronation Stakes win.

That came on the back of her fifth-placed seasonal debut in the Irish 1000 Guineas and O'Brien believes her experience of the Newmarket undulations after scoring on the Rowley Mile last October will stand her in good stead.

"She handled the dip there last autumn so that was one of the reasons why we decided to go back," he said. "It is a great race and it is very exciting when the three-year-olds meet their elders.

"It looked like she might not race again when she fractured a knee at the Breeders' Cup and had a long winter as she had to have it pinned.

"When we were given the green light we started slowly and took it day by day and she was just ready to run in the Irish Guineas.

"We still have to take it day by day, but you saw what happened at Ascot and she has been fine since then and we are looking forward to the Falmouth."

Fanshawe has an enviable record in the mile event with three wins this century courtesy of Macadamia in 2003 and Soviet Song the following two years.

Spacious was beaten only a length in the race by Goldikova last year and Fanshawe believes the Royal Ascot runner-up is coming back to her best.

"It is always interesting to see the three-year-olds take on the older generation and you have to respect any Classic form," he said.

"Spacious seems in good form and she ran a really good race at Ascot where she was just touched off by Strawberrydaiquiri.

"That was a sign she is coming back to her best and she has the size and scope to improve as she gets older.

"I hope she can improve again this year."