Aidan O'Brien on his Classic hopes among the fillies
Aidan O'Brien dominated the juvenile distaff division last year and looks to have a tight grip on the fillies' Classics in 2018.
The Ballydoyle handler supplied the first three home in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, with Happily leading home stablemates Magical and September, while Clemmie completed a hat-trick in the Cheveley Park at Newmarket.
Clemmie, Happily and September are the first three in the betting for the QIPCO 1000 Guineas and the latter pair are the top two in the market for the Investec Oaks.
Here O'Brien tells Gary Carson about his hopes for his exciting crop.
Clemmie (5/2 Sky Bet QIPCO 1000 Guineas)
"She's had a stone bruise the last few days but she's good and she'll probably go straight to the Guineas. She has wintered well and we're very happy with her. Obviously she's not as big physically as Churchill (full-brother) was but everything is right with her. She's fast and I wouldn't be sure how much further than a mile she'd stay. Obviously she's a Group One winner over six furlongs."
September (12/1 Sky Bet QIPCO 1000 Guineas - 8/1 Investec Oaks)
"We'll probably train September for the Guineas, but with the view that she could get the Oaks trip. She's wintered well. She's put on enough weight and physically she's changed. She's not very big and never was but she has a very big attitude. She believes that she's big in her own head. She has a big personality.
"She's out of a big powerful mare, Peeping Fawn (dam) was a big, strong mare. She ran a massive race in the Fillies' Mile last year (finished second) and ran a massive race in America as well (third at Breeders' Cup). You'd imagine she should stay. Deep Impact (sire) won over a mile and seven (furlongs) and Peeping Fawn won over a mile and a half."
Happily (5/1 Sky Bet QIPCO 1000 Guineas)
"Happily has wintered very well. We were very happy with her all the way along last season. You could say her run at the Breeders' Cup wasn't good, but she missed the break and got stopped three times down the straight. Ryan (Moore) just minded her then. You'd imagine she'll definitely get a mile and a quarter and could get a mile and a half because she has a very laid back way of doing it. She has very strong form."
Others
"Actress might go to the fillies' (Guineas) trial in Leopardstown and Dramatically the same.
"I Can Fly is a very nice filly and she could be a Guineas filly as well. She's a filly that finished third in a Group race at Newmarket (Oh So Sharp Stakes) towards the backend. She might go to Leopardstown with a view to going to the Guineas."