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The expression "pace makes the race" is a common one in the U.S., but it also sums up the feature race on the fourth day of Royal Ascot, the Coronation Stakes (gr. I), run over a mile for 3-year-old fillies. On soft ground, the 1,000 Guineas (gr. I) winner, Homecoming Queen, made the running from Samitar, who was successful in the Irish version of that race. However, they faded from contention, although Samitar saved fourth, as 12-1 shot Fallen For You came from off the pace to claim the day, winning her first stakes in the process.

Fallen For You is the ninth group or grade I winner for her sire, the Danehill horse Dansili, who is firmly established as one of Europe's best stallions. Rated A++ by TrueNicks, Fallen For You is out of Fallen Star, a daughter of Brief Truce, and is one of three stakes winners—all group—from only three starters by Dansili out of Irish River line mares. Fallen Star was herself a stakes winner and group-placed, and has bred two other black-type horses, including Fallen Idol, a stakes-winning daughter of Pivotal. Fallen Star is a half sister to the Lockinge Stakes (gr. I) victor Fly To The Stars. Her dam, Rise and Fall, is a daughter of Mill Reef and Light Duty, a group I-placed half sister to the excellent Royal mare Highclere, heroine of the English 1,000 Guineas (gr. I) and French Oaks (gr. I), and subsequently an outstanding foundation mare, particularly through her daughter Height of Fashion.

Dansili also had the winner of the King Edward VII Stakes (gr. II), the "Ascot Derby" for 3-year-olds over 1 1/2 miles, his son Thomas Chippendale narrowly getting the better of his stable-companion Noble Mission (a brother to none other than Frankel). TrueNicks rated A, Thomas Chippendale is one of seven stakes winners from 41 starters for the sire out of mares by Sadler's Wells. His dam, All My Loving, never won a black-type race but was second in the Ribblesdale Stakes (gr. II) and Park Hill Stakes (gr. II), and third in the English and Irish Oaks (both gr. I). All My Loving is a sister to Quarter Moon, who won the Moyglare Stud Stakes (gr. I) and took second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, English, and Irish Oaks, and to Yesterday, who won the Irish 1,000 Guineas (gr. I) and also took second in the English Oaks. The third dam, Alruccaba, produced four stakes winners, including Alleluia, a highweight in England, and multiple group winner Last Second, and is ancestress of several other talented performers, including Allegretto, who won the Prix Royal-Oak-French St. Leger (gr. I); French 2,000 Guineas (gr. I) winner Aussie Rules; three-time group I-winning Albanova; and her sister Alborada, twice a group I winner.

The Galileo line added a pair of black-type winners in Newfangled (by New Approach (IRE) (TrueNicks,SRO)), who dominated the Albany Stakes (gr. III), a six-furlong event for 3-year-old fillies, from start to finish, and Gatewood, a son of Galileo himself, who won the listed Wolferton Handicap. Newfangled (TrueNicks A), is the second group winner of the week for New Approach, who is doing remarkably well with early 2-year-olds considering he won an English Derby (gr. I). The dam, Scarlet Ibis, is by Machiavellian out of Flagbird, a group I-winning daughter of Nureyev who is a half sister to grade I winners Runup the Colors and Prospectors Delite (dam of five stakes winners, including Mineshaft (TrueNicks,SRO)). Since Galileo is a Sadler's Wells/Mr. Prospector cross, and since Nureyev is a three-quarters brother to Sadler's Wells, Newfangled's dam is a reverse cross to Galileo. This is a very similar pedigree to Galileo's first crop star Red Rocks, whose dam was by Machiavellian out of a daughter of Fairy King (brother to Sadler's Wells).

Gatewood (TrueNicks A+) is out of Felicity, a daughter of Selkirk (by Sharpen Up), but the second dam, Las Flores is by Sadler's Wells, so she has that horse 2x3 in her pedigree. The third dam, Producer, won four group races in France, including the Prix de la Foret (gr. I), and would probably rank as the best runner by Nashua to have been seen in Europe.

The day closed out with a Royal winner, Her Majesty's filly Estimate (TrueNicks A+), taking the Queen's Vase (gr. III), a two-mile contest for 3-year-olds. She is the second group winner of the week for the great German sire Monsun. The Mill Reef/Shirley Heights line has done well with German strains, and Estimate is the second stakes winner from only seven starters sired by Monsun out of mares by Shirley Heights' son Darshaan. The dam, Ebaziya, was a listed winner and group-placed in Ireland, and is dam of three other stakes winners: Ebadiyla (Irish Oaks (gr. I), Prix Royal-Oak-French St. Leger (gr. I)), Enzili (Ascot Gold Cup (gr. I)), and Edabiya (Moyglare Stud Stakes (gr. I)). Estimate goes back in tail-female line to the Tourzima branch of Frizette, and her third dam, Albanilla, is also fourth dam of Darshaan.

Filed under: Recent Winners, European Racing