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Swiftly Spoils Plans For Placed Fillies

3 minute read

Royal Ascot looked set for a Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori finish to the one-mile G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes.

Danny Tudhope atop Move Swiftly after winning the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes Picture: Racing and Sports

At the two-furlong pole, Moore, riding the Aidan O'Brien-trained I Can Fly  (7/2f), was tracking down the outside of the field in the lee of Dettori on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Rawdaa (4/1). I Can Fly was then asked to quicken alongside, and joined Rawdaa for the lead, but the pair were joined by Move Swiftly (9/1) inside the final furlong.

I Can Fly, who carried a 3lb penalty and was conceding that amount to all her rivals, faded from that point, and while Rawdaa rallied, the William Haggas-trained Move Swiftly  scored by a neck. There was a length and three-quarters back to I Can Fly, while Veracious, a stablemate of Rawdaa, was beaten a further length into fourth place.

The second and third hold entries in the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes over 10 furlongs and the G1 Falmouth Stakes over a mile, but they seem unlikely to face each other soon.

Sir Michael favours going back up in trip with Rawdaa, and said: "Both my fillies ran very well, but were beaten fair and square. I think a mile and a quarter is her trip. We have to look at the Falmouth and see what else might be running, but I'm favouring a mile and a quarter."

Dettori's vignette on the race was: "She ran a superb race - the winner was just too strong. I can't fault her, she really tried."

O'Brien said: "She ran very well and I'm delighted with her run. We think she will progress as the year goes on, and we weren't expecting this type of [rain-softened] ground. There's more improvement to come. I should think the Falmouth is a possible for her next."

Ryan Moore, who rode I Can Fly, said: "She ran super but was carrying a penalty. I am very pleased with her."