One Master the Class Act in the Falmouth for Haggas

A slightly disappointing turnout for this Group One race, with just one previous Group One winner in the line up. That is the favourite, One Master and she is a horse who looks as though she has a little bit of a class advantage over her rivals. She has been there and done it on the big stage before whereas none of these have and on Thursday I think she can shine again.

I don’t think we’ve seen the best of One Master so far this season and her reappearance race where she was behind both Beshaayir and I Can Fly is something that you can discount. She clearly needed that run and showed a lot better form when she ran at Royal Ascot in the one mile Queen Anne Stakes. She finished third that day, and only went down by a length and there is little doubt that this piece of form is the best in the race, if she replicates that run then I think she wins this with ease.

The best thing about that run though was that she didn’t really get everything going her own way. She made a nice move in the race but at that time she was away from all of the action and inconvenienced by that. A better track position at that time could have seen her get even close and maybe even win that race. I already like this form line, but with the possibility of upgrading that slightly because of where she was on the track, I think there is a lot to like about that run.

I think the big danger in this race is actually her up and coming stable mate, Beshaayir. She left a big impression when winning a listed race on her final start of last season and looked like being a horse to follow this season at the right level. She came back and won a Group Two at the Curragh, with One Master in behind and did nothing wrong that day, making all to win by one and a half lengths.

Qabala represents the three year old fillies from this year and she is interesting on the comeback trail. She won the Nell Gwyn and was all the race for the Guineas after that, backed into favouritism. She finished third and then really disappointed in the Irish equivalent, but scoped badly after that and can be forgiven on that basis. You have to give her a chance based on her Nell Gwyn win and the Guineas third, but this may be a step too far for her on the back of a poor run in Ireland against far more experienced and toughened animals.

I keep going back to One Master though, she is the one that has genuine Group One form in the book, winning one last season against the boys and going very close at Royal Ascot in one last time out. If she repeats that Royal Ascot run I don’t see anything beating her here, and she looks to be a good bet on the Newmarket card on Thursday.