Strong Gallic Challenge in Guineas

By Daithi Harvey 
A high-class field of 19 colts has been declared for the first European Group 1 of the season, the QIPCO 2000 Guineas, at Newmarket on Saturday. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the market leader as he bids to get his 3-year-old career off to a perfect start. He is joined by his stablemate Ol' Man River (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), and this unbeaten colt– who was sold as a yearling for €2.85 million–gives the Ballydoyle/Coolmore team a strong hand. 

French trainers are also well represented, however. Andre Fabre saddles Territories (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who runs in the Godolphin silks, and this colt finished a close third–before being promoted to second–in the G1 Jean-Luc Lagardere in October. He has already shown his well-being this season with a smooth win in the G3 Prix De Fontainebleau at Longchamp Apr. 12. Fellow Frenchman Freddy Head is represented by Ride Like The Wind (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), and although relatively overlooked by the bookies as a 25-1 shot, his trainer feels it would be unwise to underestimate the colt's chances, especially as he also has a debut victory over Territories to his credit. Head saddled subsequent triple Group 1 winner and current Tweenhills Farm stallion Charm Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) to be a close fifth in the race last year and he feels Ride Like the Wind is not dissimilar. 

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Head commented, “Ride Like The Wind…has done very well since his last race; his work has been good, and I think that he has improved a bit. He is on the same sort of level as Charm Spirit was at this time last year. They are similar horses in that they tend to be a bit keen, and if Ride Like The Wind settles better than Charm Spirit did last year I think that he has a good chance.” 

Of course, the Head family is synonymous with top- level racing success around the world, with Freddy Head's sister, Criquette Head-Maarek, widely renowned as the trainer of the mighty dual G1 Prix De l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}). Freddy Head himself was a champion jockey in France on six occasions and is also famous in the U.S. for his handling of the three-time GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa). Having steered Miesque to victory in the same race as a jockey twice in the 1980s, Head holds the distinction of being the only person to both ride and train a Breeders' Cup winner. 

Head has shown particular adeptness in his handling of top-class fillies, with George Strawbridge's homebred six-time Group 1 winner Moonlight Cloud (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) another to showcase the trainer's talents. Having ridden over two-dozen European Classic winners in a glittering career as a jockey, Head will be hoping to add a first Classic victory to his training resume Saturday. 

There should be no fitness concerns with Ride Like The Wind, who has had the benefit of two runs already this season, the second of which saw him win the G3 Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte Apr. 2 under Mickael Barzalona. 

“I was very happy with his Prix Djebel victory,” said Head. “He settled then quickened well and it was to his credit that he won despite being held up at the back of the field when the pace was slow. The undulations at Newmarket won't be a problem for him and although seven furlongs is a good trip for him at the moment, I think that he will stay a mile as long as he relaxes.” 

On pedigree, Ride Like The Wind has every chance of staying at least a mile. His impressive sophomore sire Lope De Vega (Ire) (Shamardal), who stands at Ballylinch Stud in Ireland, is a Group 1 winner at 10 furlongs while his dam, Biswa–although by a speed influence in Kafwain (Cherokee Run)–is related to horses who have performed well over trips of up to 10 furlongs. Success for Ride Like the Wind, who was bought by his trainer for €180,000 as a yearling at Arqana, would also be another feather in the cap for his breeder, SF Bloodstock.