The fillies take centre stage on Saturday evening at the Curragh. The compression of the racing schedule has led to connections having to pick and choose their early targets carefully but that doesn’t look to have impacted on a decent field.
Jessica Harrington had a great time of things in 2019 with her two-year-olds. No surprise then that her Albigna is fancied to run a big race. A ground versatile type, she won a Group 1 at the Arc meeting before a huge effort to finish fourth at the Breeders’ Cup. Her form is the strongest in the contest but her Moyglare defeat shows she’s not bombproof.
In front of her in the aforementioned Moyglare Stud was So Wonderful. She is one of the Ballydoyle runners, though not the highest in the market. That Group 1 place was her best effort. She is a little more exposed than most but the same could’ve been said for Love last week at Newmarket.
The Ballydoyle runner the betting suggests is the biggest threat to the favourite is Peaceful. She looked a later maturing type, just a second place at Listed level to end 2019. That requires plenty of improving upon but she took giant steps forward with each race last year.
Donnacha O’Brien has an each way chance of getting a classic winner to start his training career courtesy of Fancy Blue. Winner of both her starts as a juvenile, she needs more but is another who shapes as if better is to come.
Rounding out the O’Brien family is Joseph with New York Girl. She beat the same horse (A New Dawn) last autumn than Fancy Blue did yet is twice the price. She is well regarded and may just be the forgotten horse in the market.
Albigna heads the market at 2/1. Ballydoyle have the other three in the market at single figure odds with Peaceful the best of those at 7/2. Fancy Blue at 11/2 and So Wonderful (13/2) round out the top four. Get all the updates you need on our Irish 1000 Guineas racecard.
There could be a little shock on the cards here in the shape of New York Girl. She has been well touted by her yard, a smart winner of a Group 3 at this track in the autumn. The return to a mile is a big plus in her favour and on her pedigree, she shouldn’t need the ground as soft as it was that day, she may improve for the sound surface.
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