Aidan O'Brien has a stranglehold on Sunday's G1 Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, with Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) dominant in the betting market, but if there is one who can derail the Ballydoyle train it is Lumiere (GB) (Shamardal) from the resurgent Mark Johnston stable. Campaigned exclusively at six furlongs last term, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's homebred was impressive when beating Sharja Queen (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) by six lengths at the July meeting here before finishing second in the G2 Lowther S. at York in August and landing the G1 Cheveley Park S. at this venue in September. Like the 2008 and 2010 winners of that six-furlong feature, the French fillies Natagora (Fr) (Divine Light {Jpn}) and Special Duty (GB) (Hennessy), she looks more than just a speed merchant particularly on pedigree. Her trainer is keen to stress his lofty regard for her. “While some sceptics question her getting one mile, I am not one of them. There is no doubt in my mind that she will stay the trip,” Johnston said. “She has so much early speed, I can see why some may doubt her, but I can report she has been very settled in her work at home. Lumiere is one of my favourites. She is right up there in my top three 2-year-olds of all time; now we shall see if she can graduate to the same bracket as a 3-year-old. She is already a Group 1 winner, and a very exciting filly.”
Another British-trained filly in with a shot is the Apr. 12 G3 Nell Gwyn S. scorer Nathra (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), who is one who will be helped by the recent rain at Newmarket. Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah's bay was beaten 4 1/2 lengths into second by Minding in the G1 Fillies' Mile over this course and distance in October, and it is hard to argue a case for her turning that around, but she is unbeaten otherwise and at least has the benefit of a run this year, whereas the Ballydoyle representative has not been seen since that virtuoso effort. It is 10 years since Speciosa (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) became the last Nell Gwyn winner to follow up here, although Sky Lantern (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}) was runner-up in that seven-furlong prep prior to going one better three years ago. Frankie Dettori is hopeful if not confident, for obvious reasons. “She's got 4 1/2 lengths to make up on Minding, but she's solid enough and will run a good race,” he commented. “We're expecting her to finish in the first three. She's done nothing wrong and we've got nothing to lose this weekend. Realistically, we could witness an Aidan O'Brien double with two big favourites. They come into their races in the best form but we'll hope that our horses can close the gap.”
Robanne (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), who was third in the G3 Oh So Sharp S. over seven furlongs here in October, returned to be
2 1/4 lengths behind Nathra when in the same position in the Nell Gwyn, and trainer William Knight is expecting improvement for the step up to a mile. “She was drawn on the outside that day and Silvestre [de Sousa] didn't want to be stuck out wide, so he had to drop in further back than ideal,” he explained. “I was really pleased with how she finished off, she flew home, and will be suited by an extra furlong. She's come on a hell of a lot for that run. She hadn't been anywhere for a gallop before it, and I think she's got a decent each-way chance.”
Like Knight, Adrian Keatley is having his first runner in a Classic, and the supplemented Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) was impressive when winning the Apr. 10 G3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial S. over seven furlongs on heavy ground. Having cost 12,000gns when bought out of Richard Hannon's stable, she would be the fairytale story of this year's race if she comes home in front. “I'm happy the rain has come, as Jet Setting has not run for me on anything but soft ground,” the Co. Kildare trainer said. “I don't think that she is a real mudlark, but soft ground would slow down some of the others. She is a very placid filly who minds her own business, so I'm not worried about the big-race atmosphere for her. The owners might never get another chance to have a runner in a Classic; she's fit and well, so why not have a go? We know she'll definitely stay, she's won over an extended mile already, and that won't be the case for some.”
Brian Meehan puts forward the G1 Moyglare Stud S. fifth Blue Bayou (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}), who had previously beaten Fireglow (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the G3 Sweet Solera S. at the July meeting in August. While she has significant ground to make up on Minding and Ballydoyle on the Moyglare form, her trainer has a high opinion of her. “We have long thought of her as a Guineas filly, and at this point in time she would be one of the best 3-year-old fillies that I have ever trained,” he said. “She's already won over seven furlongs, so I don't think the mile will be any issue for her and then there are plenty of races for her at that trip. When she was beaten in Ireland, Jimmy [Fortune] got off her and said that it was a rough race and that the soft ground had not suited her. She had a break shortly after that and did very well over the winter. She came back in on Jan. 1 and has done very well since. I took her over to Richard Hannon's on Sunday for a change of scenery and she went up the Polytrack there with her lead horse and she went very well.”
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