Timepiece Springs Surprise in Falmouth Stakes

Timepiece broke through for the biggest victory of her career when she rolled to an easy victory in the $255,742 Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes (Eng-I) at Newmarket July 8.

The 4-year-old daughter of Zamindar has always been highly regarded by trainer Sir Henry Cecil. The champion trainer has been very patient with Juddmonte Farm homebred and has spotted her very carefully throughout her racing career.

Prior to the Falmouth, Timepiece made only one prior start in group I company, finishing a disappointing ninth in the 2010 Investec Oaks (Eng-I). Since that time, Cecil has run her mainly in listed events, with an occasional foray into graded races. As a result, Timepiece now boasts a record of six wins from 13 starts; she has been in the money 10 times.

A field of 11 fillies and mares went to the post in the Falmouth, with dual group I winner Sahpresa sent off as the lukewarm favorite. Others lining up in the race were South African champion River Jetez, who had been second in both the Singapore Airlines International Cup (Sin-I) and Dubai Duty Free Stakes (UAE-IT); Lily Of The Valley, winner of the Prix de l’Opera (Fr-I) last year; and Antara, a stakes-winning German mare who has been very competitive at the highest level for the Godolphin team.

Breaking alertly under jockey Tom Queally, Timepiece sat just behind Masaya as that filly went to the front to set the pace. Frankie Dettori had Antara in third early on, as River Jetez and Sahpresa were content to settle toward the rear of the well-bunched field through the early stages.

Masaya continued to set an easy pace through the first half of the one mile contest. With three furlongs left, Masaya quickened and attempted to spurt away from the rest of the field. Timepiece was hot on her heels and quickly reeled her in, shooting past the longtime leader while still under a hand ride.

Timepiece stayed on strongly in the final furlong and easily held off the late charge of Sahpresa to win by 1 1/4 lengths. First City rallied late to take third, finishing another half-length further back.

Final time for the eight furlongs was 1:41.06 over the good turf course.

A delighted Cecil said after the race, “I think it is a question of she has to be absolutely right and I think Tom rode her absolutely right too. She did it very well. I was very pleased, as I had the chance of going for a listed race at Pontefract so I think we got it right today.”

Timepiece is the second group I winner out of the mare Clepsydra. A daughter of Sadler's Wells, Clepsydra has also produced Passage Of Time (by Dansili), winner of the Criterium De Saint-Cloud (Fr-I) over colts, and Father Time (Dansili), winner of the King Edward VII Stakes (Eng-II). Other stakes winners in the immediate family include Twice Over and Mutual Trust, who captured the Prix Jean Prat (Fr-I) on July 3.