Brook’s Classic shock
BILLESDON BROOK, sent off at 66-1, stunned punters and her trainer Richard Hannon when she became the longest-priced winner of the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Given a confident ride by the Swaziland-born Sean Levey, she came home by a length-and-three-quarters from Laurens with Aiden O’Brien’s Happily, the 11-4 favourite, finishing third.
“I have to admit it was a surprise to me,” said Hannon in what was a classic understatement. “But there was nothing flukey about it. She’s obviously a very good filly.” Hannon has a knack of training big-priced winners as his previous Classic success was with 40-1 shot Night Of Thunder in the 2014 2,000 Guineas.
Levey, 30, said: “That’s a massive shock to me – she had a lot to find.
“I’ve come out and said we could do with a bit of luck and we got some.”
O’Brien may have failed to add to his win in Saturday’s 2,000 Guineas with Saxon Warrior, but he could not conceal his delight about his son Donnacha partnering the THE SCOUT colt to victory. “It was incredible really. I was so delighted watching it,” said O’Brien, who was saddling Mendelssohn in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
“I got an unbelievable kick from it with Donnacha riding.
“Also, it was the first horse my daughter Ana helped me prepare for a Classic, so it was very special.
“We always wanted to start Saxon Warrior off in the Guineas then go for the Derby and I haven’t heard anything different.” But Donnacha will not be in the saddle when the colt goes to Epsom.
“Ryan [Moore] is stable jockey and he will ride him,” said O’Brien. “He’s our No1 rider and that’s the way it is.”
O’Brien had hoped to become the first European trainer to land the Kentucky Derby with Mendelssohn, ridden by Moore.
But the colt, who finished last behind Justify after getting a couple of bumps soon after the start, will return to Chruchill Downs for the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November.