QIPCO 1000 Guineas ( Group 1)
May 5, 2012
After Camelot’s very impressive performance Maybe will look nailed on to add the fillies version to the Ballydoyle treasure trove. She’s five from five having gone through the gears from maiden, listed, Group 3, Group 2 and in her final start taking the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes. The level of confidence from Ballydolye through the winter suggests they liked her more than they did Camelot. The ground is drying out at Newmarket which will suit her perfectly.
Impossible to beat. Maybe not.
There’s a particular strong Irish challenge behind her. Her stablemate Homecoming Queen won her trial at Leopardstown justifying her entry here. La Collina from Kevin Prendergast’s stable has only two pounds to find with Maybe on official ratings. She went down by 1/4 length to Maybe in the Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown and then went on to beat Power in the Phoenix Stakes . She ran below her best in her final run when going down 4 3/4 L to Maybe in the Moyglare. It was the worst run of her season and she’ll do better this time.
Lightening Pearl has the same amount of experience as Maybe and when they met in the Débutante Stakes in August 2 3/4 lengths separated them. She built on that winning the Round Tower by an easy 5 L before going on to Newmarket to take the Cheveley Park giving Ger Lyons a well deserved first Group 1. Jim Bolger sends Alla Speranza for her third run to back up the Irish challenge. Before he was a master with colts, remember, he was a master with fillies. She has only had two runs so it’s significant she has been sent to contest this.
The home team are represented by Discourse and Lyric Of Light for Godolphin. Both are unbeaten, Mickael Barzalona and Frankie Dettori ride respectfully. Frankie’s mount has won a Group 1 when taking the Fillies Mile last year while Discourse won the lesser Sweet Solera in easy style. There’s not a lot between them and jockey bookings no longer tell which is the more fancied. Between the two, Discourse might be the one. The supplemented Moonstone Magic won the Fred Darling to justify the expenditure on the entry fee but you’d imagine connections would have preferred today’s soft ground.
Mashoora, the French filly with Christophe Soumillon won the Prix Imprudence under an easy hands and heels ride and will continue her improvement. She will provide a serious threat.
The O’Brien filly justifies favouritism. She is the one to beat.
On the balance of form the ones who followed her home last year provide more value. La Collina hasn’t much to make up on her, she is a Group 1 winner who beat the colts. Lighting Pearl is also a Group 1 winner who improved on her two subsequent runs after her defeat by Maybe. At generally 20/1, maybe there both worth backing.
