QIPCO 1000 Guineas Preview

MAYBE is the clear favourite for this year’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket as leading trainer Aiden O’ Brien looks to complete a quick-fire Classic double over the weekend.

The Ballydoyle handler runs the fancied Camelot in the 2000 Guineas on Saturday and Maybe holds an equally high chance of success on day two of the prestigious meeting.

Unbeaten in five races as a two-year-old, Maybe rounded off a fine campaign last year by winning the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh, beating the likes of Fire Lily and La Collina who re-oppose on this occasion.

With a powerful cruising speed and noticeable turn of foot, this filly out of Galileo and Sumora will take some beating over the Rowley Mile and she is likely to be bang in contention two furlongs out – especially if the race is run at its usual blitzkrieg pace.

Maybe appeared to show enough scope to suggest that she will find more improvement as a three-year-old and the QIPCO 1000 Guineas could be the platform to spark a highly successful season for the horse who is also an intended Oaks runner.

Further market support for Maybe on the day will be quite significant but punters could look for something else to take on O’Brien’s star at bigger odds.

The key to both Guineas races is finding the horses that should make marked improvement from two to three, building on the significant levels of potential which they showed as juveniles.

And it is Discourse who perhaps holds the best claims of turning over Maybe at racing HQ.

Mohammed Al Zarooni’s charge only ran twice at two, but has vital course form in the book after winning the Group Three Sweet Solera Stakes over seven furlongs last August.

Al Zarooni is well respected for bringing on ‘early types’ and Discourse may be the horse to flourish in the top middle distance contests throughout the next few months.

Top jockey Frankie Dettori will have the choice of either Discourse or another Al Zarooni runner in the shape of Lyric Of Light.

The Italian’s selection may indeed have an impact on the betting and his decision will not be an easy one as Lyric Of Light was also progressive as a two-year-old.

The horse came to prominence later on in the 2011 Flat campaign and rounded off three victories on the bounce in September with success in the Group One Shadwell Fillies Mile over course and distance.

Lyric Of Light stayed on well that day despite showing signs of greenness in the latter stages and her obvious stamina should stand her in good stead here.

But there is a slight danger that she could be outpaced early on in the contest and it would not be surprising if Lyric Of Light developed into more of a middle distance stayer moving into the summer and of course the Oaks.

Mashoora is the other leading contender prominent in the betting and gives France another decent chance of Group One success on British soil.

The aforementioned La Collina could get in amongst the place money if the form with Maybe works out, whilst Starscope is an interesting participant for John Gosden after warming up with a respectable fourth in the Group Three Nell Gwyn Stakes over course and distance just a fortnight ago.

Go To bet365

#Ad

30/04/2012     © Frixo 2026