1000 Guineas

Richard Hughes is eyeing a breakthrough Classic as a trainer this season--but admitted that high-class prospects Queen Of Zafeen (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) and Star Music (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) would likely bid for big-race glory in Germany or France rather than take on the big guns domestically.  Both fillies will test their Classic credentials next month with Hughes stating that he has built up his strongest team yet. Queen Of Zafeen and Star Music are owned by Jaber Abdullah and, while they hold entries in the Qipco 1,000 Guineas, the Weathercock...

Ryan Moore would have faced a straightforward decision to ride Opera Singer (Justify) in the 1,000 Guineas had Ballydoyle arrived at Newmarket with a full strength squad, according to Aidan O'Brien, who hopes Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) can prove an able deputy to the runaway Prix Marcel Boussac winner on May 5 . O'Brien revealed on Monday that Opera Singer was unlikely to make the 1,000 Guineas after suffering a minor setback which resulted in Ylang Ylang's odds tumbling from 8-1 into as short as 7-2 in places. Speaking...

Opera Singer (Justify), winner of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and winter favourite for the Qipco 1,000 Guineas, may miss the first Classic of the season after meeting with a setback in training. Her trainer Aidan O'Brien confirmed the news in an interview on Racing TV. He said, "Opera Singer is a bit behind. She had a little setback, she had two weeks easy and might not make the English Guineas. She is likely to start in the Irish Guineas and we don't want to force her." Bred by the...

Natalia Lupini has confirmed that stable star Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}) has been sold to owner Tim Porter but will remain in the care of the County Down-based trainer until after the Qipco 1,000 Guineas at least. Porter's colours were carried in Ireland last season aboard the Joseph O'Brien-trained Honey Girl (GB) (Mayson {GB}). It is understood that Kitty Rose, who won the Listed Ingabelle S. at the Irish Champions Festival before finishing second in a Group 3, will continue her career in Australia later this summer. Before...

Christopher Head won his first Classic last season with Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) and he is now eyeing a possible run un the Qipco 1,000 Guineas for Ramatuelle (Justify), who was the top-rated juvenile in France in 2023. The winner of the G2 Prix Robert Papin, and runner-up in the G1 Prix Morny, Ramatuelle is also entered for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and she will begin her preparations for the Classics in Deauville on April 9. "Ramatuelle has been a tremendous filly for us as a...

Last year's brilliant G1 1,000 Guineas winner Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) has been retired, Godolphin announced on Wednesday. She will now join the operation's broodmare band having failed to sparkle on what proved to be her final racecourse appearance when finishing last of the nine runners in last month's G1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan. Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Mawj was a high-class juvenile when her victories included the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. at Newmarket's July Festival. Last season, she won twice in Dubai before gaining the...

Nine new race days have been added to the World Pool calendar in the first six months of 2024, including the Newmarket fixture on Sunday, May 5 which features the G1 QIPCO 1,000 Guineas. One other race on the card will be included during a bumper weekend of action on the Rowley Mile, following on from the entire G1 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas card on Saturday, May 4 which has been a World Pool event since 2022. The other additions to the schedule include the G1 Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas and...

Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}), the winner of last season's 1000 Guineas, has been retired and will be seen next in the Tattersalls December Mares Sale. The filly, owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, gave Newmarket trainer George Boughey his first Classic success at the Rowley Mile and was narrowly denied a follow-up victory in France when second by a head to Mangoustine (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. Cachet picked up an injury when fifth in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot the following month...

Donnacha O'Brien says that he is under no illusions about the task facing Mysteries (Ire) (No Nay Never) in Thursday's Silver Flash S. at Leopardstown where she will come up against the ante-post 1,000 Guineas favourite Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}).  Trained by his father Aidan O'Brien, Ylang Ylang made a big impression on debut at the Curragh last month and sky-rocketed to the head of the betting for next year's Classics as a result.  While Donnacha views his Curragh maiden winner Mysteries in good regard, he says Ylang Ylang...

Craig Bennett of Merry Fox Stud, joint-breeder of arguably the most exciting juvenile filly in training Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}), recalls how a visit to Coolmore Stud a number of years back made a lasting impression.  Not for the sheer expanse of the operation, or the might of the stallions the world-renowned County Tipperary stud could offer potential breeders, but for how Coolmore marks its successes. "When I went to Coolmore a couple of years ago, I can remember looking out at one of the paddocks where the stallions...

The rematch between Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) is on at Royal Ascot after Dermot Weld described the latter to have come out of her Irish 1,000 Guineas romp in splendid order.  Mawj had just a half a length to spare from Tahiyra in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket and, after Tahiyra made little fuss in the Godolphin filly's absence at the Curragh, a mouthwatering rematch between the Classic winners could take place in the G1 Coronation S. at the royal meeting.  Speaking at...

It's a heady time of year to be on Newmarket Heath of a Saturday morning. You can tell by the convoy of smart cars when one of the big strings is about to arrive at the Al Bahathri, with Guineas weekend providing the perfect opportunity for owners to watch their horses work.  This past Saturday, either 2,000 Guineas day, Kentucky Derby day, or Coronation day, depending on your persuasion, was no exception. With the car park double-stacked and trainers and jockeys all about, Joe Foley, waiting for the off with...