A total of 18 fillies have stood their ground at the final declaration stage
for the second classic of the season, the £400,000 One Thousand Guineas
(Eng-G1), run over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket on Sunday.
Currently heading the market at 7-2 with sponsor Stan James is SPECIAL DUTY
(Hennessy), who will bid to give French handler Criquette Head-Maarek her fourth
success in the classic following the victories of Ma Biche (1983), Ravinella
(1988) and Hatoof (1992). The Khalid Abdulla-owned filly proved her ability last
season with victory in the Cheveley Park S. (Eng-G1) over six furlongs at
Newmarket, when she had MISHEER (Oasis Dream [GB]) back in second, but suffered
a reversal on her reappearance when third in the Prix Imprudence (Fr-G3) at
Maisons-Laffitte on April 8.
It could potentially be a tremendous weekend for the Dunlop family at
Newmarket, with John Dunlop saddling Elusive Pimpernel (Elusive Quality) in
Saturday’s Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) and his son Ed set to be
represented by HABAAYIB (Royal Applause [GB]) in the One Thousand Guineas. The
filly won the Albany S. (Eng-G3) at Royal Ascot last season and made a pleasing
seasonal reappearance when a neck second to PUFF (Camacho) in the seven-furlong
Fred Darling S. (Eng-G3) at Newbury on April 17.
“We decided to run her in the StanJames.com One Thousand Guineas because
there are only a few options for a filly that has won a Group race as a juvenile
and she ran very well in her trial at Newbury,” Ed Dunlop said Thursday morning.
“We don’t know whether she stays a mile but we can but try. She seems in good
form — she did her first and only bit of work since Newbury this morning and we
were pleased.
“We will take a chance with her on Sunday and see how we go.”
Habaayib’s owner, Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, is also set to be represented by
the Marcus Tregoning-trained RUMOUSH (Rahy), who was successful in the Feilden
S. over nine furlongs at Newmarket on April 14.
Mick Channon has yet to taste victory in a Classic but has a live contender
in this year’s One Thousand Guineas with MUSIC SHOW (Noverre), who advertised
her credentials with victory over BLUE MAIDEN (Medicean) in the Nell Gwyn S.
(Eng-G3) at Newmarket on April 14. She was ridden by Kieren Fallon that day, but
the Irishman has opted to ride the Luca Cumani-trained SETA (Pivotal), meaning
that Music Show will be partnered by champion jockey Ryan Moore on Sunday.
Two challengers make the trip over from Ireland, with Aidan O’Brien
represented by DEVOTED TO YOU (Danehill Dancer) and Jim Bolger set to run GILE
NA GREINE (Galileo [Ire]) while the winning-most current trainer in the One
Thousand Guineas, Henry Cecil, seeks a seventh triumph with JACQUELINE QUEST
(Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]).
Godolphin, the Maktoum family’s racing operation, run HIBAAYEB (Singspiel
[Ire]), who won the Fillies’ Mile (Eng-G1) at Ascot last season when trained by
Clive Brittain. Second in that race was LADY DARSHAAN (High Chaparral [Ire]),
trained by Stan Moore. POLLENATOR (Motivator) runs in the colors of the Royal
Ascot Racing Club and got the better of Hibaayeb when last seen out in the May
Hill S. (Eng-G2) at Doncaster in September.
Also set to line up on Sunday are DISTINCTIVE (Tobougg [Ire]), NURTURE
(Bachelor Duke), PIPETTE (Pivotal) and SENT FROM HEAVEN (Footstepsinthesand).