Likely hot favourite Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will have 15 rivals to overcome in Sunday's G1 Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket after there was just a single withdrawal on Friday. With Aidan O'Brien set to launch a trio at the Classic, Ryan Moore is booked for the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Dubai Fillies' Mile heroine, who has received an ideal middle draw in eight. Her distinguished dam, Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), failed to make the 1000 Guineas, but Minding has come through the winter and spring without an issue, and takes precedence over her G1 Total Prix Marcel Boussac-winning stablemate Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})–who races from stall 14–in her jockey's regard.
“You would imagine she'll get a mile and a half–she's a Galileo filly–but she got a mile very easily last year,” trainer Aidan O'Brien commented. “The best part of her in the Fillies' Mile was in the final half-furlong.”
Ballydoyle had earlier beaten Minding in the G2 Debutante S. at The Curragh in August, but was second to her in the Moyglare before battling to a 1 1/4-length success from the G2 May Hill S. winner Turret Rocks (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the Marcel Boussac on Arc day. She has earned her place in this lineup after impressing in her prep work, but the rain will not have played in her favour. “We know that Minding handles the ease well, whereas Ballydoyle is not as effective on easier ground,” O'Brien added. “They were very close as 2-year-olds.”
Ballydoyle's third-string is the smart Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was third behind that duo in the Moyglare before finishing fourth in the G1 Cheveley Park S. over six furlongs and winning the £300,000 Tattersalls Millions 2yo Fillies' Trophy over seven here. Runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland at the end of a busy spell in October, the bay was third to Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) in the Apr. 10 G3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial S. over seven furlongs on heavy ground on her return. Coolmore's UK representative Kevin Buckley gave the low-down on the talented triumvirate. “It's been very straightforward and all has gone well [over the] winter time with Minding,” he said. “Minding does have the advantage of having won here last season over a mile, and we know how complimentary Ryan was when he got off her. She is very talented and has done very well over the winter; equally Ballydoyle has, too. There is a real high-quality level of Classic fillies this year. They were one, two, three in the Moyglare–if that could be replicated on Sunday that would be wonderful. Ballydoyle did a very nice piece of work on Saturday and Minding did as well. Although on far-from-ideal ground, Alice Springs has had a run and she needed to run. I think you will see a much-improved filly on Sunday. She has had eight starts and danced every dance.”
Successful with Ma Biche in 1983, Ravinella in 1988 and Hatoof in 1992, Criquette Head-Maarek returned from a barren spell to add another renewal courtesy of the promoted Special Duty (GB) (Hennessy) six years ago, and it is significant that she sends across Khalid Abdullah's Midweek (GB) (Motivator {GB}). Second in the seven-furlong G3 Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte Apr. 7, the lightly-raced homebred could outrun her odds now that the ground has eased. “She did a piece of work on Saturday that really pleased me,” Head-Maarek said. “I know she was beaten in the Prix Imprudence, but she will definitely be suited by stepping back up to a mile, as she won over that trip last year. She was my best 2-year-old last season; she was slowly away on her debut and should have finished much closer than fourth. I've been lucky with Motivator as a sire in the past and I'm hoping I can be again. She's a good filly and will appreciate any cut in the ground–it just depends if any of the other fillies are better than her.”
One who does not need any more easing of the ground is Denford Stud's Illuminate (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), who was withdrawn from the G3 Nell Gwyn S. here when the weather turned Apr. 12. After winning the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot in June and the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. at the July meeting, the homebred was a half-length runner-up to Lumiere (GB) (Shamardal) in the G1 Cheveley Park S. also at six furlongs in September before finishing sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. “She did a piece of work with Toormore about a week ago and she worked fine, but with the rain around it is not looking ideal,” trainer Richard Hannon explained. “We won't be able to run her and we'll have to wait for Ireland. It's a weather watch, really.”
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