SUNDAY EXPRESS
JESSICA HARRINGTON can capture a first English classic with (3.35, treble) in today’s QIPCO 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Harrington, the most successful trainer at the Cheltenham Festival, showed she is equally adept on the
Flat when Alpha Centauri won the Irish 1,000 Guineas two years ago. Millisle has valuable experience at Newmarket
MILLISLE
where she won last year’s Cheveley Park Stakes from Raffle Prize and that form reads well as Raffle Prize earlier finished a neck behind the hugely talented Earthlight at Deauville.
The unbeaten Quadrilateral advertised her classic claims when taking last season’s Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket. But on that occasion – when beating Love, third, and
IN Japan they refer to Kameko as the child of a tortoise but at Newmarket, the colt of that name certainly did not resemble one when he flew home to take the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas.
For many, victory was expected to come from Pinatubo, sent off the 6-5 favourite on account of his six impressive victories last term, and he had every chance but finished third.
For a brief moment, it looked like Frankie Dettori had nicked it onwichita before Kameko mowed him down in the dying strides.
In a memorable first classic of the season, that took place behind closed doors, it was also a first British Classic for winning rider Oisin Murphy and also a first victory in the race for his trainer Andrew Balding, who cut a solitary figure in the winners’ enclosure.
There was no back slapping or high fives or a repetition of a tearful interview like he gave to his sister Clare after landing his first classic success with Casual Look in the 2003 Oaks.
But Murphy was struggling to hold back the tears.
“I don’t want to cry,” he said. “My boss, Sheikh Fahad is at home, obviously with the current pandemic he couldn’t be here.
“I started my career with Andrew Balding as an apprentice so to ride a Classic winner, my first one, in these colours is incredible. It’s the stuff of dreams.”
Kameko is now, understandably, the 3-1 favourite for next month’s Derby.
And Balding has no hesitation about running the colt.
He said: “To me it looks the obvious choice.there would be a stamina doubt but there’s only one way to find out.”
MARK Johnston and PJ Mcdonald combined to excellent effect at Newmarket, as the trainer provided the rider with two legs of a treble.
Mcdonald had earlier been on the mark with James Tate’s Far Above in
Boomer, fifth – she looked an Oaks filly. Today’s mile, on lightning fast ground, will see her struggling in the early part of the race and her stamina will probably kick in all too late.
Shimmering, representing John Gosden and Frankie Dettori, is the each-way value.
Alan King, foremost a jumps trainer, can continue his excellent strike rate on the Flat with (1.50).
TRUESHAN
He beat First In Line here in October and can confirm that running. At Haydock,
(2.40, nap), rerouted from Newmarket on Friday on account of the firm ground, can be rewarded.
The much-travelled
(2.05, nb) is a cut above her rivals. She was not disgraced on her final start when fourth behind Iridessa at Santa Anita in November.
SANGARIUS LOGAN
the Palace House Stakes. The in-form Johnston team first had Blown By Wind claim the Betfair Racing Only Bettor Podcast Handicap and The Trader completed the Mcdonald hat-trick in the Trade On Betfair Exchange Handicap.
FANNY