Falakeyah added to Coronation field for Zarigana clash

Falakeyah has been supplemented for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot to set up a mouthwatering clash with French ace Zarigana.

Owen Burrows’ unbeaten filly dazzled when winning the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket last month, putting herself in the picture for both the Oaks and the French equivalent which will be run at Chantilly on Sunday.

However, after deciding against Epsom, a dirty scope ruled her out of France, with connections now taking the plunge to drop back to a mile with their supremely talented daughter of New Bay.

In a statement on shadwellstud.com, the owners racing manager Angus Gold said: “Jim (Crowley) has been saying all spring ‘this filly has plenty of speed’ and she showed that when she won at Newmarket on her first start of the year.

“Once we had decided not to stretch her stamina to a mile and a half in the Oaks, the next option was the Prix de Diane. However, she did not scope clean two weeks ago, so Owen and the team gave her time and sorted it out, but the net result was the timescale proved too tight to get her back to peak fitness for the Diane, especially with the travelling over to France.

“Owen feels she is now back to where she was before the dirty scope. He’s very happy with her and together we feel the Coronation is the right race for her now. Jim believes she has the pace to be competitive at a mile at that level. She’s definitely got a lot of class, and we are looking forward to Friday.”

Falakeyah could ultimately prove the biggest challenge to Francis-Henri Graffard’s Zarigana, the grandaughter of the great Zarkava who was awarded the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches in the stewards room at ParisLongchamp after a late tussle with Charlie Fellowes’ Shes Perfect.

Shes Perfect also stands her ground but is poised for the challenge of the Prix de Diane on Sunday, while the same applies to Aidan O’Brien’s Bedtime Story and Merrily who also feature amongst the confirmations for Friday’s Group One.

Ballydoyle have also confirmed Exactly and January, while Ralph Beckett could be represented by 1000 Guineas fifth Chantilly Lace and the Amo Racing-owned Cathedral.

Ollie Sangster’s Flight and Simmering finished ahead of Chantilly Lace in second and third respectively behind Desert Flower at Newmarket and could leave below par efforts in the Irish version of the Guineas behind here.

Meanwhile, Joseph Murphy’s Cercene and Archie Watson’s Duty First were two to thrive at the Curragh when third and fourth and are also amongst the Ascot possibles.

Jane Chapple-Hyam’s unbeaten York scorer Kon Tiki joins Falakeyah in being supplemented into the field at a cost of £46,000, while Ger Lyons’ Red Letter completes the list of 15 going forward.