1000 Guineas tips: Horse-by-horse guide to the fillies' Classic at Newmarket on Sunday
It's the QIPCO 1000 Guineas on Sunday at Newmarket as the fillies do battle and David Ord provides a full and comprehensive guide to the field.
QIPCO 1000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1)
- When: 3.40pm, Sunday May 2
- Where: Newmarket Racecourse (Rowley Mile)
- TV: ITV Racing & Racing TV (Sky channel 426)
- Odds: Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook
- Racecard & FREE video form
ALCOHOL FREE
Won the Cheveley Park at two and returned with game victory in the artist formerly known as the Fred Darling at Newbury. That proved she stays seven furlongs but the mile remains a question mark and she’ll need to raise her game even further to win this.
FEV ROVER
Held in high regard and progressive at two, winning a Listed race at Sandown, Group Two at Deauville and finishing fourth in the Prix Marcel Boussac when things didn’t fall right. She could go well at an each-way price with conditions expected to suit, connections having been keen to get her back on fast ground.
LULLABY MOON
Enjoyed a good time of it in the autumn, winning the Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy and a Group Three prize at Chantilly. Both of those performances came on heavy ground, and if John Kettley and co are right she won’t be getting that at the weekend. Much more needed.
MOTHER EARTH
Brings a series of good efforts in top company to the table here, including a third place behind Pretty Gorgeous in the Fillies’ Mile and second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Stablemate Santa Barbara has been the Ballydoyle buzz horse this spring, but this is their form representative - albeit one who has yet to win in the top flight despite three attempts.
SACRED
So often the bridesmaid at two, she returned with victory in the Nell Gwyn. A filly with a high cruising speed, there have to be doubts over whether she’ll be fully effective over a mile and she might struggle to confirm form with filly who chased her home last time.
SAFFRON BEACH
Talking of which…she was keen in the Nell Gwyn but shaped as though crying out for the extra furlong she’ll get here. She’s only raced at the Rowley Mile so the local knowledge will come in handy and while one or two of the others might be a tad quicker, she’ll run her race.
SANTA BARBARA
A Camelot half-sister to Iridessa who looked a smart prospect when making a winning start at the Curragh. However it’s what Aidan O’Brien has said in the spring stable tours rather than that performance that has catapulted her to the head of the market and she’ll need to be the finished article to win this on her return – on a first trip to England – and against battle-hardened rivals.
SEATTLE ROCK
She's still a maiden and Sylvester Kirk's charge is unlikely to change that on Sunday for all her reappearance run in the Nell Gwyn, making good late headway, marked a career-best effort.
STAR OF EMARAATY
Won the Sweet Solera Stakes for Kevin Ryan last term but only fifth in the Nell Gwyn on first start for John and Thady Gosden. Hard to see where the required improvement is going to come from as she seemingly has had her limitations exposed.
STATEMENT
Improved to shake Alcohol Free up in the Fred Darling and every chance there’s more to come as she goes up to a mile here. Might well avenge her Newbury defeat at the hooves of Andrew Balding’s charge but would still be a surprise if she was good enough.
THUNDER BEAUTY
For all she ran well in the Moyglare and Prix Marcel Boussac, she’s well held by both Pretty Gorgeous and Fev Rover on those efforts. She should improve at three – with this being her minimum trip – but she looks a gear or two short of these.
VADREAM
Big eyecatcher when third in the Fred Darling, finished strongly having found herself in an impossible position at halfway. She’s an interesting prospect but one in very deep here.
Verdict
The original selection, Pretty Gorgeous, is missing so SAFFRON BEACH is put up as a value call in the first fillies' Classic of the season. She's proven at this track and promises to improve again for the step up to a mile.
Fev Rover is another who could go well at a price in a market dominated by the hype around - and potential of - Santa Barbara. She could easily be a cut above these but it's a tall ask for any filly to win here on her second career start on very different ground to her debut.
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