Champs Elysees's Billesdon Brook In Huge Upset In the 1000

Not even considered the number one filly from Richard Hannon's stable, last year's G3 Prestige S. winner Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) sprang forward in the Newmarket sunshine to cause the biggest upset in the history of the G1 Qipco 1000 Guineas on Sunday. Always travelling strongly in the ruck under Sean Levey, the 66-1 shot took off heading towards the “dip” and overwhelmed Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) 1 1/2 furlongs out en route to an authoritative 1 3/4-length success from that positively-ridden Northern raider, with the 11-4 favourite Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a half length away in third. “That was a massive shock to me,” Levey said. “I thought she had a lot to find and where she's found it I don't know. When she ran in the Nell Gwyn she was a little bit gassy, but I thought she ran well to finish fourth. I thought I might be going a little bit early, but I didn't want to disappoint her and so I let her use that turn of foot and she kept finding. I've had plenty of winners and plenty of opportunities, but I needed that good horse.”
Some Classic winners go softly-softly in their formative period and others come off more industrious campaigns and it is the latter that applies to the slow-burning Billesdon Brook. Out eight times at two, the chestnut had the wherewithal to start over five furlongs at Salisbury in April and it was forgivable to think that her success in the Prestige at Goodwood in late August was her big moment. Along the way, she had come off second best to the smart fillies Madeline (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and Nyaleti (Ire) (Arch) at Goodwood and Salisbury but on the Polytrack she showed what she could do on a sound surface when registering a six-length success in a novice contest at Kempton in July. Third in the Listed Star S. at Sandown before capturing a nursery at Glorious Goodwood over the same trip as the Prestige, she went from there to the G2 May Hill S. at Doncaster in September but was only fifth to Laurens on good-to-soft ground. Still some way off looking a Guineas heroine when fourth on her comeback behind Soliloquy (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Nell Gwyn S. here Apr. 18, she even occupied third rank of her stable's contenders which included her relative and fellow Stowell Hill homebred Anna Nerium (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Once into the race, Billesdon Brook gave a passable impression of the previous day's winner Saxon Warrior as she bounded along towards the back of the main group led by Laurens up the centre. The latter's rider P J McDonald wound up the pace a long way out and Billesdon Brook was far happier reserved well off the speed than she had been ridden prominently in her prep last month. As Happily and Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) tried hard to peg back Karl Burke's raider, Sean Levey's red cap was emerging on the far side with Billesdon Brook beginning to cut them back quickly with just over a quarter mile left. Kicking past Laurens with the downhill run adding to her momentum, she stayed on strongly to deny that game rival another chance as the Ballydoyle and Godolphin fillies ran notable Oaks trials.
Richard Hannon was celebrating a first success in this Classic in his own name, having taken over from Hannon Sr in 2014. “My Guineas winners aren't terribly popular with the punters, as they tend to be big prices,” he said. “All of our Guineas winners have needed their first run–they tend to get beat in their trials. She's obviously a very good filly and it's great for her syndicate–they've been in the game a long time and they've worked hard for a day like today. It's great for Sean. He's there every day and works very hard. You are not defined by how many winners you ride or train, but by how many good ones. I'll sleep well tonight, I think.”
Trainer Karl Burke is looking ahead to the G1 Prix de Diane now with Laurens. “I know she didn't win, but we can't be disappointed. It's just a shame they didn't get the extra rain on Monday, but there's nothing we can do about that. She's a high-class filly and PJ [McDonald] gave her an excellent ride. I thought we came with a great chance and the winner wasn't one we were frightened of, but we've been second in a Guineas and have a lot to look forward to. She'll come on and I imagine it will be the Prix de Diane [at Chantilly June 17] now. She's in the Irish Guineas, but I imagine it will be France.” Owner John Dance was in accord with that plan. “The first thing PJ said was, 'We'll go to France over 10 furlongs and she'll gallop them into the ground'. It's been a dream since day one with her. Just to win a listed race was great, but she's won a group one and been second in a Classic. I'm just incredibly proud.”
Billesdon Brook hails from the same breeding operation as the Listed European Free H. winner Anna Nerium, but she had the bragging rights here as that stablemate could only finish seventh. Her dam Coplow (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) also produced the Listed Upavon S. scorer Billesdon Bess (GB) (Dick Turpin {Ire}), while her second dam Anna Oleanda (Ire) (Old Vic {GB}) produced five black-type performers headed by the G3 Prix d'Aumale heroine and G2 Oaks d'Italia runner-up Middle Club (GB) (Fantastic Light), the aforementioned Anna Nerium and the G3 Horris Hill S. scorer Piping Rock (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The third dam Anna Paola (Ger) (Prince Ippi {Ger}) claimed the G2 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) and went on to become an influential tap-root mare for Dalham Hall Stud with her numerous pattern-race winning descendants including the Australian multiple group 1-winning sires Helmet (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and Epaulette (Aus) (Commands {Aus}). Coplow's as-yet unraced 2-year-old filly by Showcasing (GB) was bought by John Gosden for 380,000gns at Tattersalls October and is named World's Fair (GB), while she also has a yearling filly by Sepoy (Aus).

Sunday, Newmarket, Britain
QIPCO 1000 GUINEAS S.-G1, £547,500, NEW, 5-6, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:36.62, g/f.
1–BILLESDON BROOK (GB), 126, f, 3, by Champs Elysees (GB)
1st Dam: Coplow (GB), by Manduro (Ger)
2nd Dam: Anna Oleanda (Ire), by Old Vic (GB)
3rd Dam: Anna Paola (Ger), by Prince Ippi (Ger)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Pall Mall Partners & Partners; B-Stowell Hill Partners (GB); T-Richard Hannon; J-Sean Levey. £310,487. Lifetime Record: 10-4-2-2, $494,526. *1/2 to Billesdon Bess (GB) (Dick Turpin {Ire}), SW-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Laurens (Fr), 126, f, 3, Siyouni (Fr)–Recambe (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). (£220,000 Ylg '16 GOUKPR). O-John Dance; B-Bloodstock Agency Ltd (FR); T-Karl Burke. £117,713.
3–Happily (Ire), 126, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–You'resothrilling, by Storm Cat. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Orpendale & Chelston Ireland (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £58,911.
Margins: 1 3/4, HF, HF. Odds: 66.00, 7.00, 2.75.
Also Ran: Wild Illusion (GB), Altyn Orda (Ire), Soliloquy (GB), Anna Nerium (GB), Worship (Ire), Liquid Amber, Dan's Dream (GB), I Can Fly (GB), Sarrocchi (Ire), Madeline (Ire), Vitamin (Ire), Sizzling (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.