1000 Guineas Spotlight Series

It’s the final installment of Andrew Fletcher’s 1000 Guineas Spotlight Series this week.  Andrew looks into the breeding and chances of the current favourite for the 1000 Guineas, Maybe.

My series looking at the 1000 Guineas comes to its conclusion this week and where better place is there to finish than by considering the current ante-post favourite Maybe.

Her racing career began back in May when she lined up for a 6f maiden at Naas. She was edged towards the head of the field and soon went clear with over a furlong to travel, the filly kept on well to win by 4½ lengths. Her successful debut saw her beat Princess Sinead (2^nd) who later won a 7f Curragh maiden and Teolane (4^th), won a Listed contest over 6f in June. Her next assignment was to head to Royal Ascot for the Chesham which saw her step up in class and distance up to 7f. She was asked once again to be up with the leaders in the early stages, before taking it up with 2f to go. The front two drew away from the rest with a furlong to travel and she continued to stay on and win impressively. Behind her was Fort Bastion (2^nd) who was also second in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes and Falls of Lora (8^th), a conditions winner over a mile in September and winner of UAE Oaks (10f) as a three year old.

1000 Guineas favourite Maybe

She was given about a month off before she was seen next in the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes at Leopardstown over 7f. She sat second before taking the lead with 2f to go; she was ridden along and kept on well inside the final furlong to win fairly cosily. The second placed horse was La Collina, who won the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes in August beating Power.

A Group 2 contest was next for Maybe in the Debutante Stakes over 7f at the Curragh at the beginning of August. As in her previous three starts, she sat in second position in the early part of the race and took the lead with a couple of furlongs to go and once again she kept on well inside the final furlong to win easily by 2½ lengths. Back in 3^rd on that day was Lightening Pearl, a dual Group winner including a victory in Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes over 6f at Newmarket in September. Also behind was Remember Alexander (5^th) a Group 3 winner over 7f beating Dewhurst winner Parish Hall.

Her final start of the campaign saw her take to Group 1 company for the first time in the Moyglare Stud Stakes over 7f at the Curragh at the end of August. She took her customary position in second before moving herself into the lead with a couple of furlongs to go. She was driven out inside the final furlong and continued to impress winning by 1¾ lengths. In second that day was Group 3 winner over 6f Fire Lily and Maybe also confirmed the form with those she met earlier in the season such as La Collina (3^rd), Princess Sinead (5^th) and Teolane (6^th).

Her five starts at two showed she that this Aidan O’Brien filly had plenty of ability and she was made and remains favourite for the 1000GuineasatNewmarket. As yet she has not tackled a mile and although she shaped as if it would not be a problem, her pedigree may provide a definitive answer.

Her sire is Galileo, who on the racecourse won the Derby, Irish Derby and the King George in 2001. At stud, he has produced many top quality horses at all distances and has probably been the best sire of the last decade. There is no doubt that the best of his produce is Frankel, who is unbeaten in 9 starts, five of which have been in Group 1 company and each victory has come at an average of over five lengths. New Approach had five Group 1 victories including the Dewhurst (7f), Derby (12f) and the Champion Stakes (10f). Galikova is perhaps the best filly that Galileo has produced to date, having won three Group races, the best being the Prix Vermeille over 12f at Longchamp in September.

Dancing Rain

Maybe’s dam is Sumora, the winner of a Listed race over 5f at Newbury, who is a three-parts sister to Dancing Rain, the winner of the Oaks (12f), Preis der Diana (11f) and Group 2 British Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes (12f). Sumora was purchased by Coolmore in December at the Tattersalls Mare sale for 2.4 million guineas, she has had only one other running produce Luckbealadytonight, who was second in a 6f maiden at Southwell and is by Mr Greeley.

Her damsire is Danehill, the winner of the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup over 6f. He has also produced many quality thoroughbreds such as Dylan Thomas, the winner of seven Group races including the Irish Derby (12f), King George (12f) and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (12f). Others include Rock of Gibraltar, beaten only three times in 13 starts, his wins included the 2000 Guineas, Sussex Stakes and Prix du Moulin. Another is Duke of Marmalade, a winner of five consecutive Group 1s from 10-12f including the Tattersalls Gold Cup (11f), King George (12f) and Juddmonte International (10f). Danehill has been very successful as a sire of broodmares and his daughters have been very good at producing successful horses when put to Galileo. This cross has produced several top class racehorses including Frankel (Kind), Teofilo (Speirbhean) and Roderic O’Connor (Secret Garden).

Maybe’s performances on the racecourse as a two year-old combined with her excellent pedigree mean that she looks a worthy favourite for the first fillies Classic of the season. I would not see any reason to suggest she would not get a mile and given that she has the likes of Dancing Rain closely related to her dam means she could even get further than a mile. The Ballydoyle team have a number of quality fillies however and perhaps theGuineaswould be her main target and given that she was impressive in her racecourse gallop a couple of weeks ago, it seems like it is full speed ahead for Newmarket.

Missed any of Andrew Fletcher’s 1000 Guineas spotlight series? Find all the articles in one place!

Week 1 Wading

Week 2 Discourse

Week 3 Lightening Pearl

Week 4 Samitar

Follow Andrew on Twitter @ginge210!

Fancy a bet on Maybe for the 1000 Guineas?  Back her at 7/2 with Ladbrokes and get a £50 free bet using unique code FB50!

Photo Credit: Maybe at Royal Ascot racingpost.com

Photo Credit: Dancing Rain winning the Oaks bloodhorse.com 

1000 Guineas Spotlight Series

The penultimate instalment of my series looking at the 1000 Guineassees me examine the chances of the Mick Channon trained filly, Samitar.

Her career on the racecourse began at Newmarketat the end of May last year, when she was entered in a 6f maiden. She was positioned prominently in the early stages before being asked to quicken with 2f to go, she kept on and although the front two drew away from her, she stayed on to be third by a length. In hindsight, this looks a good maiden given that the winner, Regal Realm won a Group 3 over 7f later in the season and the second home was Gamilati who won the Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes. There was also a future Listed winner in the field as My Propeller finished back in seventh.

Samitar at Royal Ascot

Following a promising debut, she was stepped up into Group company in the Group 3 Albany Stakes over 6f at Royal Ascot. This time she was positioned in rear before moving through the field with 2.5f to go, she came under pressure 2f out before being switched to the outside with a furlong left. She stayed on gamely to win by ¾ of a length. The field that she beat included two Listed winners in Lily’s Angel (5^th) and Sajwah (7^th).

 Samitar’s next outing was the £100,000 Tattersalls Million Stakes at Newmarketover 6f at the end of August. As soon as she left the stalls, her pilot Jamie Spencer switched her towards the far side of the track and she was positioned towards the head of this group. She came under pressure with 2f to travel and was shoved out despite wandering towards the middle of the track, the front two drew away from the field and she was beaten a short-head on the line. Her conqueror that day was Mehdi, the winner of a Ripon maiden and was third in two similar sales races later in the season.

She was back in Group company next time, challenging a Group 2 for the first time in the May Hill Stakes over a mile at Doncaster. She was sat at the rear of the field in the early stages before making good progress through the field two furlongs out. She seemed fairly one-paced however and the front two skated clear and Samitar was beaten around 3½ lengths. The winner that day was Lyric of Light who was to take a Group 1 prize after this and the second was Fallen For You, who had previously won aNewmarket maiden over 7f.

After this run, she returned to the racecourse within a fortnight when she took to the post for the Shadwell Fillies’ Mile, a Group 1 at Newmarket. She led the field in the early part of the race and gently increased the pace from three furlongs out. Her jockey got serious with her with a furlong and a half to travel and she skipped clear of most of the field but Lyric of Light got up under Frankie Dettori to win by a head in the final strides. This performance suggested she had made three lengths up on Lyric of Light on the basis of her performance at Doncaster. Also, Samitar reversed the Doncaster form with Fallen For You as well as beating a Salisbury maiden winner, Firdaws.

Samitar’s final start of her two year-old campaign came in the £300,000 Tattersalls Millions 2yo Fillies Trophy over 7f at Newmarketon 1^st October. Under Sam Hitchcott for the first time, she was sent towards the head of the field before being asked to quicken with 2.5f to go. She quickened and battled to hold off all challengers and win by 1¼ lengths. Here she beat a Newbury Conditions Stakes winner in Hazel Lavery (2^nd) and Glee, who was second in the Tattersalls Millions race in September.

Her juvenile campaign was certainly progressive given the way she seemed to improve as the campaign went on, especially when she was ridden in a prominent fashion. Her final performance led to her trainer, Mick Channon suggesting that she could make aGuineasfilly and whilst she has course and distance form perhaps her pedigree can assist in confirming her overall ability.

Rock of Gibraltar

Her sire is Rock of Gibraltar, the winner of two Group 1s at 2, the Grand Criterium (7f) and the Dewhurst (7f). As a three year-old, he secured five victories at the top level including the 2000 Guineas, Sussex Stakes and the Prix du Moulin all over a mile. His only defeat at 3 came in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Arlington at the end of the season. At stud, he has proved a good producer of two year olds as well as at distances of around a mile. Examples of his produce are Eagle Mountain, winner of the Group 2 Beresford Stakes (8f) at 2, who was second in the Epsom Derby (12f) and won the Hong Kong Cup (Gr1 10f). Society Rock, a winner of the Listed Pavilion Stakes in 2010 over 6f, before winning the Golden Jubilee Stakes over 6f at Royal Ascot last year. Another product of Rock of Gibraltar is Mount Nelson, winner of the Group 1 Criterium International over 8f at two and winner of the Coral Eclipse at the age of four.  Finally, Sea of Heartbreak is a three parts sister to Samitar and was the winner of the Listed Chalice Stakes over 12f and the Group 2 Prix de Royallieu (13f) at Longchamp.

Samitar’s dam is Aileen’s Gift, who did not appear on a racecourse. However as a mare, she has produced Nijoom Dubai, a half sister to Samitar, who also won the Group 3 Albany Stakes over 6f as a two year old. Another product of the dam was La Gifted, who raced mostly on the all weather but secured a victory on the turf at Catterick over 7f and whose best official rating was 71.

Footstepsinthesand shares same damsire as Samitar

The damsire is Rainbow Quest, a winner of the Great Voltigeur at York (12f) and Coronation Cup (12f) who also won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after the first past the post was disqualified. He sired plenty of quality produce including Saumarez, winner of the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris (10f) in 1990 and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (12f). Others are the winner of the Epsom Derby in 1990 Quest for Fame and Spectrum, the winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas in 1995 and the Champion Stakes at Newmarket over 10f. He has also been very successful as a sire of dams, his daughters having produced horses such as 2000 Guineas winner Footstepsinthesand and four-time British Group 1 winner Rakti, whose victories included the Lockinge (8f) and the QEII (8f).

There is no doubt that she has the pedigree of a top-class individual, having a close relative as a Group winner inSeaofHeartbreakand plenty of Group winners on both sides of the family. She was probably a good yardstick for other fillies at two and would certainly have to have improved over the winter to be considered a serious contender for the 1000Guineas. However, if she was allowed to go to the front, then she has showed that she is difficult to pass, and therefore outside of the protagonists from the big operations of Coolmore and Darley, would not be discounted lightly. That said, I think the mile will be no problem for her but she is probably lacking a little in terms of quality as she was just found wanting in her starts at Group level as a two year old. Therefore, I think that whilst she is solid enough, it would take a couple of the leading lights in the field to run below par for her to be there at the finish.

Fancy Samitar for the 1000 Guineas?  Back her at 25/1 with Bet365 and get up to £200 in free bets!

Follow Andrew on Twitter @ginge210!

Photo Credits:

(1) blogs.bettor.com

(2) sportsbookguardian.com

(3) bloodstock.racingpost.com

1000 Guineas Spotlight Series

With the Cheltenham Festival done for another year, many peoples attention will be turning to the up and coming flat season.  Andrew Fletcher continues his 1000 Guineas ante-post series here at the Tavern; This week he looks at Lightening Pearl.

The third part of my 2012 1000 Guineas series looks at Lightening Pearl trained by Ger Lyons, the former national hunt jockey who now has a base twenty miles outside of Dublin. She is owned by Pearl Bloodstock, the organisation of Sheikh Fahad of the QIPCO investment group.

Her racing career began back in June at Navan in a 6f maiden. After showing signs of greenness in the early stages, she was positioned in mid-division. With a furlong and a half to travel she was ridden along and began to get the hang of racing, staying on to finish second, beaten a couple of lengths. The winner of the contest was the future winner of the Group 3 Grangecon Stud Stakes, Experience.

The filly returned to the racecourse in July, this time stepped up to 7f. This time she was positioned towards the head of proceedings by her new pilot, Johnny Murtagh. From around two furlongs out she was asked to quicken and continued to find under pressure to hold off her challengers and win by a couple of lengths. She beat very little here, overcoming a future Corkmaiden winner, Among Equals and winner of a Wolverhampton claimer, Speedy Yaki.

Her next appearance saw her stepped up in class in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes over 7f at the Curragh. On this occasion she sat behind the leaders in 3^rd position, before being asked to quicken with 2f to go, the winner drew well clear and Lightening Pearl was headed on the line for second. The filly that beat her was Maybe, who was unbeaten at two and is currently the ante-post favourite for the 1000 Guineas. The second placed horse was the winner of a 7f maiden at Leopardstown, Yellow Rosebud trained by Dermot Weld.

She was dropped back in trip to 6f and to Group 3 company for her next start in the Go and Go Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh at the end of August. She sat second before being pushed to the front with 2f to go and she kept on up the standside rail. She soon drew away to win by five lengths, in doing so she reversed the maiden form with Experience and also beat a Listed winner in An Ghalanta.

1000 Guineas contender Lightening Pearl

Lightening Pearl’s final start as a two year old came at the end of September in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes over 6f at Newmarket. Once again located towards the head of proceedings, she was shaken up with 2.5f to go and hung towards the centre of the course. The second horse was closing fast towards the end but Lightening Pearl hung on to win by a ½ length, giving her owner Sheikh Fahad his first Group 1 victory. The second horse in the race, Sunday Times won a Goodwood maiden prior to the Cheveley Park and was fifth behind Wading in the Rockfel in October; some of the others in behind Lightening Pearl were Group 2 winner Angels Will Fall and dual Group 2 winner, Best Terms.

After the Cheveley Park Stakes, the 1000Guineaswas identified as the target for the filly by connections. David Redvers, racing advisor to Sheikh Fahad suggested she may not stay a mile due to her speed but Johnny Murtagh, who partnered her on three of her five starts was confident she would have the stamina to get a mile. It has also been suggested by her trainer that she would probably improve for a bit of cut in the ground despite her Group 1 win coming on fast ground.

Soviet Song

In terms of her breeding, she is by Marju, the winner of the Craven (8f) and the St James’ Palace (8f) during the 1991 season, in which he was also second in the Derby over a mile and a half. At stud he has produced horses at their best over a variety of distances and has sired 19 separate Group 1 winners worldwide. The best of his progeny include Viva Pitaca, a Listed winner over 8f at Pontefract and a winner of eight Group 1s in Hong Kong from 10-12f. Others include Soviet Song, a five time Group 1 winner over a mile including two victories in the Falmouth Stakes and Indigenous, a winner of four Group 1s in Hong Kong over 10-12f.

Lightening Pearl’s dam is Jioconda, a Listed winner over a mile as a two year old. Her only other produce of running age is Jolie Jiconde, a full sister to Lightening Pearl who was a winner over 11f at Dundalk and was also third to Zoffany in the Group 3 Tyros Stakes over 7f at Leopardstown.

The damsire is Rossini, a dual Group winner over 6f whose produce at stud have run best at 5-9f. His progeny have included Tournedos, a winner of the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes over 5f at Goodwood as well as two wins in the Chester City Wall Stakes over the same distance (Listed). As well as Golden Legacy, a Group 3 winner over 6f at Ayr and Rose Hip, a Listed winner over 9f at Leopardstown.

Lightening Pearl ended her two year old campaign in the best way, winning a Group 1 in the Cheveley Park Stakes. She appeared to be at her best at 6f but as I mentioned earlier, Johnny Murtagh believes the step up to a mile should not be a problem. Her pedigree seems to back this up given that her full sister was a winner over further than a mile and that there are winners over a mile and further on both sides of the family. Marju’s produce also have a tendency to progress and if she has developed over the winter perhaps she will be better equipped to tackle a mile in the Guineas. That said, she was well beaten by Maybe in the Debutante Stakes and the filly which finished second to her in the Cheveley Park was also a long way behind Wading in the Rockfel. Therefore, even if the doubts surrounding her ability to stay a mile prove inaccurate, she would still have to improve on what she had shown in her two year old campaign in order to be a contender for the 1000 Guineas.

Get up to £200 in free bets with Bet365 and get 20/1 on Lightening Pearl for the 1000 Guineas!

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Photo Credit: LighteningPearlwinning the Cheveley Park Stakes betting.betfair.com

Photo Credit 2: Soviet Song superfectablog.com 

1000 Guineas Spotlight

Godolphin won the 1000 Guineas last year with Blue Bunting, and this week Andrew Fletcher continues his 1000 Guineas Spotlight Series with another Godolphin candidate for the 2012 renewal.

My series looking at the 2012 1000 Guineas continues this week with a look at the Mahmood Al Zarooni trained Discourse.

Her race record consists of only two starts as a two year old, the first coming in a 6f maiden at Newmarketat the end of June last year. She sat in mid-division under Ahmed Ajtebi and was encouraged to move forward with just over two furlongs to go. She edged left under pressure but stayed on strongly in the final furlong to get up to beat her stablemate on the line by a short head. The stablemate in question is Gamilati, who won the Group 2 Cherry Hinton over 6f at Newmarketin July and has had two victories already in her three year-old campaign winning the UAE 1000 Guineastrial over 7f and the UAE 1000 Guineas (Listed) over a mile at Meydan. Discourse also beat Appointee who broke its maiden at Epsom in September having finished 5 lengths behind the Godolphin pair in 3^rd.

Discourse was stepped into Group company on the back of her maiden win in the Sweet Solera Stakes (Gr3) over 7f in August. This time, partnered by Frankie Dettori, she tracked the leaders in fourth before taking herself to the front with just over a furlong to travel. Under relatively gentle encouragement she drew away from the field to win impressively by 4½ lengths. It is worth pointing out that she did not beat a great deal here, Wahylah being the only future winner in the nine runner field. Wahylah won the Tattersalls Millions Auction Race in September but was beaten around 15 lengths in the Sweet Solera when finishing 5^th.

Discourse winning the Sweet Solera

Having been made joint-favourite for the 1000 Guineas after her victory in the Sweet Solera Stakes, her next target was set to be the Fillies Mile atNewmarketat the end of September; however she suffered a minor setback in training. As I have already alluded to she was not to be seen again on a racecourse during her juvenile campaign. Despite this she remains second favourite for theGuineasbehind Ballydoyle’s representative Maybe. It could probably be said that she could be a little backward given her odds of 16/1 in her maiden or maybe it is more accurate that the connections thought Gamilati was better as suggested by the jockey bookings. To date we have yet to see her at a mile, although the head lad suggested the extra furlong would not be a problem after her Sweet Solera victory, does her pedigree suggest the extra furlong will be an issue?

Her sire is Street Cry, the winner of the UAE 2000 Guineas in 2001 and three times Group winner in 2002 including the Dubai World Cup over 10f.  At stud he has sired 18 separate Group/Grade 1 winners worldwide and is renowned as a good producer of two year-olds and older horses at up to 10f. His best progeny include Zenyatta, a prolific winner with 19 wins and a second from 20 starts including 13 Group 1 victories.  Her only career defeat came in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic where she was beaten only a head in search of her second Classic. Another product of Street Cry is Street Sense, a ten lengths winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile who won the Kentucky Derby (10f) and was second by a head in the Preakness Stakes (10f) as a three year old. He is a close relative to Discourse as he is also out of a Dixieland Band mare. Carlton House is another of Street Cry’s progeny, a winner of the Dante (10f) over 10f before being beaten favourite in theDerby at Epsom and the Curragh over 12f.

Discourse’s dam is Divine Dixie who was placed in the Listed Jersey Blue Stakes in the US. Discourse’s half-siblings include Bandini who is by Fusaichi Pegasus, the three times Graded winner in the US including the Kentucky Derby in 2000. Bandini himself was a Grade 1 winner in the Blue Grass Stakes over 9f on polytrack. A half-sister to Discourse is Najoum, who is by Giant’s Causeway; she won a 7f maiden atRedcar as well as a Nursery at Kempton over a mile.

Her damsire is Dixieland Band, winner of the Group 3 Pennsylvania Derby over 9f in 1983. At stud he also had success having been crowned leading broodmare sire in North Americain 2004 and produced quality on a variety of surfaces. His best progeny include Egyptband, a Group 1 winner over 11f in the Prix de Diane Hermes and a Group 2 winner in the Grand Prix de Chantilly (12f). Drum Taps is a dual winner of the Ascot Gold Cup and had 6 other Group wins at distances from 12-16f. The final product to consider is Mutahaab, a winner of the Listed Stardom Stakes over 8f and followed up in the Group 2 Royal Lodge.

Her performances at two have led to her popularity in the market for the 1000 Guineas and her pedigree seems to confirm the visual impression in the Sweet Solera that an extra furlong would not present a problem. I think it is worth saying that Godolphin appear to have a good group of fillies this year, Lyric of Light won the Fillies Mile for them in the absence of Discourse and Gamilati has produced two very impressive performances at Meydan this season. Therefore if Discourse can be produced back to her peak and she has improved at the same rate as Gamilati, then she would be a live contender for the contest.

This is by no means guaranteed however and only time will tell what impact her setback has had on her racing ability. Her pedigree suggests that she may get up to 10f and that improvement may have come over the winter. If this is the case and her setback hasn’t damaged her racing ability she would be amongst Godolphin’s best chances of success. This would therefore indicate that she would be a viable fancy for the 1000Guineasbut there are still a lot of questions that need answering before her chances can be accurately gauged.

Fancy Discourse for the 1000 Guineas?  Back her at 8/1 with Ladbrokes and get your £50 free bet with the unique code FB50!

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Photo Credit: Discourse winning the Sweet Solera www.godolphin.com

1000 Guineas Spotlight

Andrew Fletcher is back at the Horse Racing Tavern for the first installment for his new 1000 Guineas Spotlight Series.  Andrew begins with a look at the Aiden O’Brien-trained Wading.

This week I begin my series looking at the potential contenders for the first fillies’ classic of the season, the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.  The first filly to come under the spotlight is Wading, trained by Aidan O’Brien and potentially a very good three year old filly.

To date, she has had three runs on the racecourse beginning with a 7f maiden at the Curragh in September. She travelled towards the head of the field throughout, before being shaken along with 2½f to go. She hit the front a furlong out but was beaten in the last ½f by the Dermot Weld trained Madhmoonah, who won by a length and a quarter.

Following her debut, Wading was turned out fairly quickly running in a Dundalk maiden within two weeks of her first run. Again over 7f she was pushed towards the head of the field and sat second, with a furlong and a half to go Joseph O’Brien shook her up and she drew clear winning by 4¼ lengths. It is worth saying she beat very little here, only Aloof (2^nd) broke its maiden in November back at Dundalk over a mile.

Nevertheless the filly was stepped up into Group 2 company when taking her place at the start for the Rockfel Stakes over 7f at Newmarketon Future Champions Day. As in her previous two starts she was sat towards the head of the field in third spot. With 2f to run she was produced by Ryan Moore and asked to quicken and she obliged, she kept on under gentle encouragement to win comfortably by two lengths. The horses behind her that day included Pimpernel, the Godolphin filly who was a Listed winner in October and was second to Gamilati in the UAE 1000 Guineasa few weeks ago. She also beat Regal Realm and Alsindi, who beforehand had both secured Group 3 victories in their own right. The time of the race was also impressive considering it was quicker than the Dewhurst over the same trip earlier in the afternoon and beating the colts’ time emphasised the quality of her performance in the Rockfel.

Based on her performance at Newmarket it would appear Wading would improve over the extra furlong in the 1000 Guineas. She certainly looks to have plenty of ability but her pedigree will have to be analysed in order to find out what her optimum distance will turn out to be.

Her sire is Montjeu, the six time Group 1 winner whose victories included the 1999 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Prix du Jockey Club and the Irish Derby. As a sire he has produced Group 1 winners at two but is most renowned for his success in the middle distance division. In terms of the fillies he has produced, Sarah Lynx was a Group 2 winner as Deauville over 13f and won the Canadian International at Woodbine over 12f (Grade 1). As well as Miss Keller who was a Group 1 winner over 10f when winning the EPTaylorStakes at Woodbine. He has also sired three winners of the Epsom Derby Motivator (2005), Authorized (2007) and Pour Moi (2011) and has also had three winners of the Irish Derby Hurricane Run (2005), Frozen Fire (2008) and Fame and Glory (2009). Over a mile, he has sired four winners of the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy for two year olds; these are Motivator (2004), Authorized (2006), St Nicholas Abbey (2009) and last year’s winner Camelot.

Wading’s dam is Cherry Hinton, whose best effort was finishing second in the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes over 10f at Naas. She is however, as a daughter of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victor Urban Sea, closely related to several high class individuals including being a half-sister to Galileo. She is also a three-parts sister to 2009 Horse of the Year and 2000 Guineas winner Sea the Stars. As Wading is Cherry Hinton’s first produce I will have to look further back to see what influences are most prominent on this side of the pedigree.

The damsire is Green Desert, winner of the July Cup and Haydock Sprint Cup in 1986. As a sire he has had several quality offspring and has proved to be a good sire of sires with Cape Cross and Invincible Spirit. Desert Prince was a three time Group 1 winner over a mile including success in the Irish 2000 Guineas in 1998. Sheikh Albadou won several top prizes in the sprint division such as the Nunthorpe (5f), Breeders’ Cup Sprint (6f) and the King’s Stand (5f) at Ascot.  Green Desert also sired Oasis Dream who won three Group 1s, the Middle Park at 2 before winning the July Cup and Nunthorpe as a three year old.

When considering the Guineas as a target for Wading it is worth pointing out that Montjeu is yet to sire a Group 1 winner at a mile with a horse aged three years or older in Europe, which would have to be a concern. The presence of Green Desert blood in the filly’s pedigree may have been a conscious effort to introduce more speed to the line although she shaped as if she would stay as most produce of Montjeu do.

Her performance in the Rockfel caught many people’s eye and she looks to be a filly with a lot of class and ability. In terms of the 1000 Guineas, her time in the Rockfel suggests she would have the speed to challenge over a mile but in time she may stay as far as 12f in the Oaks. It is also important to point out that Aidan O’Brien has another filly Maybe who was unbeaten in five starts last year. She is also the ante-post favourite for the race and given that Wading may stay further, her participation in the 1000 Guineas would not be guaranteed.

However, the Ballydoyle team have run two or three in the past and as long as they don’t think it will do her any harm I would imagine we will see her in the 1000Guineas. She has undoubted ability combined with an excellent pedigree with plenty of Group 1 winners on both sides of the family. She was probably also a little backward last year given that she didn’t make her debut until September and so improvement is likely to come from her. I look forward to seeing her on the racecourse this year and if not in theGuineas, I’m sure she will fulfil her potential at some stage during the season.

Back Wading for the 1000 Guineas at Betfred and get a £50 free bet!

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Photo Credits

Wading winning the Rockfel sportinglife.aol.co.uk

Sea the Stars close to relative to Wading’s dam www.guardian.co.uk