Following Folgaria's disappointing performance in the French 1000 Guineas on Sunday, Marco Botti is preparing to reduce the distance. The Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot might be the destination.
The daughter of Due Diligence, handled by Stefano, the brother of the Newmarket handler, went undefeated in Italy and had a great start to her career in Britain when she won the Fred Darling at Newbury in April.
Hopes were high for Folgaria as she crossed the Channel in her quest for Classic glory since the third-placed Elmalka's victory in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket had done much to promote that form. However, Folgaria finished a well-beaten 11th out of 15 runners in a race that Botti believes was not run to suit.
“It didn’t really work out for her and I think the ground was quick enough. Obviously, it changed for the colts as they had that deluge of rain, but for the fillies, it was definitely a touch too quick for her,” he said. “The race itself didn’t really suit her, there wasn’t much pace and we were trying to ride her to get a mile and she was too keen and overrated. Going round the bend I wasn’t happy, you could see that she was doing too much and they were all on top of each other. I would just put a line through that race, to be honest, she’s better than what she showed yesterday – nothing went right for her. I do question the mile, I think that stretched her a bit. I know she won in Italy over a mile, but it’s a different story when you’re running in a Group One in England or France. I do see her as a filly who wants to come back on a trip of six or seven furlongs. I know the programme book doesn’t give many options for fillies, but I think at that level a mile doesn’t really suit her.”
The fact that Botti owns Great Generation, a superior filly who seems to shine over seven furlongs, and that she won the Group Three Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield on Saturday adds a little complexity to future planning for Folgaria.
Nonetheless, the trainer has the choice to split his aces at Ascot. Great Generation may be supplemented for the Commonwealth Cup, while Folgaria may suit the Jersey.
Botti said: “It makes life a little bit more complicated as for both fillies seven furlongs is probably ideal and a mile is just too far. Both fillies probably have enough speed for six. The filly on Saturday did well and she probably would have been an unlucky loser if she didn’t win. The programme book doesn’t give many options for fillies over seven, but the Jersey could suit Folgaria as they’ll go quick over seven and we’ll have a think about Great Generation, I don’t think six furlongs at Ascot would be a problem but of course taking on the colts is a different thing. If we don’t go to Ascot with her there is the Summer Stakes at York in July, a Group Three for fillies only over six furlongs, or there’s the Prix Jean Prat over seven furlongs against the colts. She seems to come out of the race fine and we’ll just see what’s going to happen closer to Ascot, one good thing about supplementing is you can have a better idea what the ground is going to be like. You can sit and wait and make a decision close to the race.”