1000 Guineas Guide 2021

A P O’Brien has won four of the last five renewals of the 1000 Guineas and brings red hot prospect Santa Barbara to Newmarket to try her hand at scoring her trainer a quick-fire hat-trick. 

Since word spread of her toying with her stablemates whilst working, her unbelievable physique similar to that of a 5yo colt rather than a 3yo filly and her blistering natural speed, she quickly saw her price cut to that of a short-priced favourite for the contest. 

She made an impressive winning debut in a maiden at Curragh, easily scoring a 2 1/2 length victory back in September.

She hasn’t been since however, and this will be just her second ever career start in the classic, so the expectancy is for her to run green.

Her raw natural talent looks excellent and although having to learn on the job on Sunday, she’s said to be a very intelligent type and it will be no surprise to see her get her head in front.

Ryan Moore is employed on board who is a three time winner of this race, twice for A P O’Brien and most recently upon Love in 2020, Santa Barbara is in great hands here.

Andrew Balding is putting in the work to land his very first 1000 Guineas and is represented here by Alcohol Free who looks to hold decent claims in this. 

She kept on well to win the Group One Cheveley Park stakes (6f) as a two year old and subsequently returned from a seven month layoff to just hold on and land the Group three Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury (7f).

She steps up in trip to 8f for the first time today so has something to prove in that respect, however she possess’ a lot of natural speed and for that warrants plenty respect. 

She’ll strip much fitter after her comeback run whilst Champion jockey Oisin Murphy retains the ride on board. 

William Haggas is another top trainer still awaiting his first victory in this race and comes to the Sussex venue with big potential in Sacred.

Her two-year-old season was spent running over 5f and 6f trips to decent reward, placing in the Group Two Queen Mary at Ascot (5f), Lowther Stakes at York (6f) and the Flying Childers (5f) at Doncaster, proving her natural speed. 

Despite these positive runs, she is bred for further and is related to winning milers, proven when upped to 7f on her comeback run last time out in the Nell Gwyn.

She won readily, despite having dwelt the start, not having a clear run 2f out and idling when hitting the front. 

She will improve from that run, progress again over 8f and will strip much fitter with a comeback run under her belt. 

Tom Marquand gets the nod on board and can look to really motor home on one to be considered a definite challenger. 

Saffron Beach showed a real flash of potential last time out in the Nell Gwynn when finishing 3/4 of a length behind Sacred. 

She kept on well to the line over the 7f trip, despite racing keenly in the early stages, shaping as though if settling better, the extra furlong on offer in the Guineas would be sure to suit.

Saffron Beach has done all her running here at Newmarket and boasts a record of two wins from three runs, the latter of those being a Group Three victory (7f).

Jane Chappell-Hyam is on the hunt for her first Group One success and employs handy usual jock Adam Kirby for the ride. 

The second A P O’Brien entrant in the race is Mother Earth who was most recently seen in the US, finishing runner up in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade One, 8f) race.

She clearly posses’ a lot of natural pace having placed and won in Group three’s over shorter 6/7f trips. 

She is bred for further however and has looked to appreciate the step up to a mile the last twice, also seeming to be versatile in terms of ground.

Her penultimate run was a 3rd placed finish over C&D in the B365 Fillies Mile (Group One) by which she managed a third placed finish. 

Frankie Dettori is employed on board and she holds fair claims, despite clearly needing to find a bit more today. 

William Buick retains the ride on board Statement who gave Alcohol Free a scare last time out in the Fred Darling (Group Three, 7f).

She kept on nicely to the line at outside odds of 18/1 and just failed to get past missing out by an eventual shoulder. 

She looks the type to improve for the step up to 8f and is fairly versatile ground wise having won his penultimate run on heavy, albeit in a Class 4.

May well turn the form on Alcohol Free here and it be interesting to see how she runs, although remains a bigger odds outsider.

Fev Rover was very progressive as a two-year-old, winning a listed race at Sandown (7f). 

She subsequently went on to land a Group Two in Deauville, France on very soft conditions (7f) and followed up on his final run of last season with a fourth placed finish in the mud in the Prix Marcel Boussac (Group One, 8f) despite things not falling right and being short of room 2f out. 

She’s held in high regard by connections and despite doing her best running in testing conditions, Richard Fahey appears excited by the fact she’ll be back running on quicker conditions. 

Should go well at an each-way price and will be sure to run her race.

Ken Condon is preparing Thunder Beauty for a trip across the Irish Sea for her chance at Guineas glory. 

She was impressive on debut at Curragh in a 6f maiden, proving her natural speed to push clear in the final 50 yards. 

She subsequently ran well from a wide draw for a fifth placed finish in the Moyglare (Group 1, 7f) and was far from embarrassed with a seventh placed finish in heavy conditions in Paris (Group 1, 8f).

She remains lightly raced and will appreciate the return to quicker ground, although has to prove her fitness here on the back of a six month layoff.

She’s bred for further than a mile so may not be as pacy as some of her rivals but holds a fair outside chance and may just spring a surprise at bigger odds. 

Newmarket local trainer Charlie Fellowes is chasing his first Group One success and takes his chances in the Guineas with Vadream, who was a strong finisher last time out. 

She caught the eye in the Fred Darling (Group Three, 7f) at Newbury when finishing third behind Alcohol Free and Statement on just her second career start.

Things looked to click for her 2f out and she got into a nice rhythm so is sure to come on from that run. 

Fellowes describes her as very quick but she has something to prove up at 8f and this looks more of a calculated punt from the team rather than a top end contender.

But who’s to blame them, it’s the 1000 Guineas, she’s well worth a chance and may just surprise a few and run well...

Ralph Beckett is in excellent form currently with some good recent winners. He comes here represented by Lullaby Moon who enjoyed a strong finish to her two-year-old season.

Listed success at Redcar (6f) followed by a Group Three win in France (7f) showed real signs of talent however both wins came under heavy conditions, a ground type she is unlikely to receive come the races start time.

She’ll also need to prove herself race fit with this being her first run back from a six month layoff, resulting in the final verdict - she needs to find more. 

Seattle Rock had a relatively successful two-year-old season, placing third behind AP O’Brien’s Battleground in the Listed Chesham Stakes (7f) on just her second career start. 

She placed third once more in the Group Three Solera Stakes (7f) here at Newmarket behind Star of Emaraaty and also managed third in the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood (7f), albeit a distant seven length third behind Isabelle Giles.

Her most recent run was her first back from a 7 1/2 month layoff, finishing seventh in the Nell Gwynn (7f) behind a number of today’s re-opposing rivals.

She will strip fitter from that run, however tackles 8f for the first time today and has it all to prove at the trip and on making up those lengths lost on those that beat her last time out.

Star of Emaraaty represents John and Thady Gosden in the race, with John boasting a past success in the race dating back to the year 2000. 

Star of Emaraaty won the Solera Stakes (Group Three, 7f) as a two-year-old for Kevin Ryan however only managed 5th in May Hill Stakes at Doncaster (Group Two) on her first 8f start and subsequently finished seventh in the Bet365 fillies mile (Group One, 8f).

She ran home 5th on her stable debut for the Gosdens in the Nell Gwynn (Group Three, 7f) and will strip fitter from the comeback run.

She has it all to prove once more up at 8f and based on past form she appears well held here having finished behind a number of these re-opposing rivals.

She looks to be exposed here.