Newmarket: Giofra scores upset in Falmouth Stakes

The French filly Giofra scored a 10-1 upset in Friday’s Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, England, recording her second major stakes win of the year.

Ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Giofra caught 25-1 Elusive Kate in the final furlong and won the one-mile race by a half-length. Siyouma, a 33-1 outsider and another French invader, finished third in the field of 10 fillies and mares.

Elusive Kate, a Group 1 winner in 2011 as a 2-year-old, made her first start of 2012 in the Falmouth.

Golden Lilac, the 10-11 favorite, trained in France by Andre Fabre, finished 10th. She was in contention until the final quarter-mile, but faded late.

Soumillon had Giofra behind the pace for the first five furlongs and emerged between rivals for a running path with a quarter-mile to go. Giofra responded strongly in the final furlong.

Trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, Giofra won the Group 2 Prix d’Harcourt at Longchamp in Paris on April 8 and was later second to Cirrus des Aigles in the Group 1 Prix Ganay on April 28. A 4-year-old filly by Dansili owned by breeder Haras de la Perelle, Giofra had not started since the Prix Ganay.