Check out our Irish 1000 Guineas tips as we look over the big race field for Saturday’s Irish fillies’ Classic at the Curragh!
The Classic action comes thick and fast and just twenty-fours on from the colts’ Classic on Friday evening, it is the turn of the girls to strut their stuff as the Irish 1000 Guineas goes to post.
Getting underway at 7.15pm as the penultimate race on another top-class Irish racecard at the premier flat racing venue in Kildare, a classy field of 15 runners will enter the starting stalls with each eyeing up the €142,000-plus first prize pot.
Brian Healy looks over the assembled field for the Irish fillies’ Classic and gives his runner-by-runner thoughts as well as his Irish 1000 Guineas tips. Be sure to catch the action live on ITV Racing and bookmakers’ live streaming services so you don’t miss out!
IRISH 1000 GUINEAS TIPS – Runner-by-runner
PEACEFUL
Aidan O’Brien has won the Irish 1000 Guineas four times in the past decade and saddles another strong entry where the Galileo filly might just prove the pick of the Ballydoyle bunch.
In need of her debut experience at Leopardstown she stepped up on that run to score impressively at Thurles on her next outing an she was far from disgraced when getting to within a neck of Born With Pride in the Listed Montrose Stakes.
She’ll need to improve again on that bare form but looks progressive and may have more to offer. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see her take another forward step and she can post a big run.
SO WONDERFUL
Still a maiden after eight runs but she has shown herself to be a useful sort with in-the-frame efforts in Group class, including finishing just over one length third when last seen behind Qipco 1000 Guineas heroine Love at this venue.
That finish came despite meeting plenty of trouble in running and the form has worked out well given the winner’s exploits; while the runner-up won a Group Two next time out.
It remains to be seen if she can progress this term and her lack of winning form is a slight concern. But she’s proven herself consistent at a good level and she could make her presence felt. She rates a decent each-way play in our Irish 2000 Guineas tips and no surprise to see her run well.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien will saddle two runners in Saturday’s Irish 1000 Guineas.
BROOK ON FIFTH
One of two in the race for Joseph O’Brien but the Bated Breath filly looks hard to fancy having ran a shocker in a Group Three at Leopardstown just four days ago.
A debut winner on soft ground here last August, she cut little ice upped in class over course and distance in the Flame Of Tara Stakes. Her latest run saw her slowly away and meet some trouble in running; but she was never involved and she’ll need to do much better here in what looks a stiff task turning out quickly.
NEW YORK GIRL
Looked a useful prospect when finishing fourth on debut at Cork in September behind Passion despite being 2lbs wrong at the weights; that form has been boosted since and she stepped up on that run with a next-time win over seven furlongs here to claim the Group Three Weld Park Stakes.
She finished off the race really well on that occasion, overcoming trouble in running and coming with a wet sail in the last furlong to prevail close home.
The New Approach filly will need to find another jolt of improvement but looks a very progressive sort who should revel over this longer trip and she’s a very interesting contender with the promise of more to come although she’ll have to prove she can act on much quicker ground.
Nevertheless, she isn’t dismissed and no surprise to see her firmly in the mix with the potential for better still to come.
FANCY BLUE
The Deep Impact filly will be fledgling handler Donnacha O’Brien’s first Classic runner since swapping the saddle for the training ranks and the unbeaten filly can show further progress this term.
2-2 last term, scoring at Naas on debut and then over course and distance to register a Listed win for Aidan O’Brien she has since joined the trainer’s son ahead of this campaign and she ran out a ready winner when last seen overcoming a slow start to win cosily despite the narrow margin of victory.
The bare form of that win needs improvement if she’s to make the step up to this higher grade but she has to be respected in bringing her 100% record to the table and a big run wouldn’t come as a surprise.
ALBIGNA
One of two in the contest for the red-hot Jessica Harringto yard and the Zoffany filly ought to prove a tough nut to crack here where she brings the strongest form to the table.
A three-time winner last term which included the Prix Marcel Boussac, she lost no caste in defeat when finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf having perhaps been given too much to do and those pieces of form are hard to get away from.
Two of her wins have come here over shorter, including on better ground; but it was soft when she scored over one mile in France and with her yard in flying form she looks the one to beat. Trip and ground are no issue and if progressing from her juvenile campaign then she can land a second Group One prize for her red-hot handler.
Albigna heads our Irish 1000 Guineas tips for Classic success on Saturday.
VALERIA MESALINA
Won on her debut at Naas and ran at least as well in defeat next time in the Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket, beaten only a neck behind Rose Of Kildare.
That form is decent but perhaps not up to the level required for this contest and while she ought to improve for the step up to one mile she is very much the yard’s second string behind Albigna and Jessica Harrington’s charge looks up against it taking on her stablemate.
APRICOT MOON
Won her sole start last term at Dundalk, beating Moll by a neck over this trip but faces a very stiff task thrust into a Group One on the back of that sole start.
Andrew Oliver’s Bated Breath filly has seen the runner-up since come out of the race to score next time and while she’s entitled to progress for that debut experience this looks to ask too much of her.
EVEN SO
One of three runners in the race for trainer Ger Lyons and the Camelot filly stepped up on a promising debut third at Tipperary to get off the mark with a defeat of Azila at Gowran Park next time.
She shaped well on her return in the Group Three Park Express Stakes behind Lemista, beaten one length into third and she’s another who should progress over this trip. Her form however leaves her with a bit to do although it wouldn’t be a surprise to her get involved for her shrewd yard.
ROCA ROMA
Runner-up on her sole start as a juvenile where she was beaten less than one length behind Amma Grace at Leopardstown, the Australia filly could progress this term and is probably capable of better given time.
The form of her debut has been dented a couple of times since though and this represents a massive step up in grade on just her second start so she has a fair bit to do if she’s to collect this prize.
Trainer Ger Lyons saddles three in Saturday’s fillies’ Classic.
SOUL SEARCH
Has shown a good level of ability despite thus far failing to open her win account, finishing fourth or better in all five starts including finishing a close third in the Group Two Debutante Stakes and crossing the line in fourth behind Qipco 1000 Guineas winner Love in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.
The Zoffany filly finished runner-up when last seen out over an extended six furlongs, beaten just over one length behind Sir Boris in a Listed contest. However the step in trip here could suit and with better ground unlikely to faze her she rates an each-way player.
KATIBA
Scored over course and distance on her debut and might have been unsuited by the drop to seven furlongs when last seen out in the Group Three Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown behind Stela Star.
Dermot Weld’s Footstepsinthesand filly certainly has better to come and the return to one mile should suit so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her deliver a strong performance for her top yard although she will need to show improvement.
The Weld camp know when they’ve a good one though and aren’t known for pitching runners in too deep so they must feel they have solid claims here and she ought to go well.
RIDENZA
Trained by Mick Halford and runs in the same colours as Katiba, the Sea The Stars filly won her sole juvenile start with a commanding display despite looking in need of the experience at Leopardstown in August.
That represents useful form with the runner-up since tried in Group Three company, while the fourth has won since including the recent Park Express Stakes at Naas.
Aidan O’Brien’s Peaceful also made her debut in the contest and is a fraction of the odds of the Halford runner who can progress this term and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her posting a big run given her potential for improvement.
MISS MYERS
A winner at Limerick for Thomas Mullins, the Zoffany filly failed to back up that success next time and moved to Martin Grassick ahead of a promising return behind Lemista in the Park Express Stakes.
She did well considering she was slowly away and met with some trouble in running to finish as close as she did; but she had been readily beaten behind Valeria Messalina and that latest run fell apart somewhat so she might prove flattered by her proximity to the winner.
This is a tall order now stepping up again in class and the race may come soon enough.
MY LUCKY PENNY
Has shown little in four starts on turf and the all-weather, latterly failing to beat a rival home in a handicap at Dundalk behind Eglish, crossing the line some fifteen lengths adrift.
The Fulbright filly sports a tongue-tie for the first time here, but the headgear will have to have a profound effect for her to trouble this field where she has a mountain to climb on official ratings to get involved .
With almost 40lbs to make up on the next lowest-rated in the field she very much looks out of her depth at this level.
IRISH 1000 GUINEAS TIPS – BIG-RACE VERDICT
A competitive renewal but ALBIGNA sets a stiff standard on her exploits last term and with Jessica Harrington’s team in flying form currently since the resumption of racing the Zoffany filly ought to prove a tough nut to crack and can collect a second Group One success.
A three-time winner last term which included the Prix Marcel Boussac, she wasn’t disgraced in finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf where she was given too much to do and she sets the bar pretty high on those pieces of form so could prove hard to beat if replicating that level here.
For our each-way Irish 1000 Guineas tips New York Girl looked a very progressive sort in winning on her second start and could be the type to do better this term.
Having overcome a terrible passage here in the Weld Park Stakes to snatch the win the prospect of stepping up to one mile on better ground could be a catalyst for significant improvement in Joseph O’Brien’s charge who can make her presence felt.