1994: Las Meninas fights tough for Stack success

WHEN she won the 1000 Guineas in 1994, Las Meninas was breaking a 19-year drought by Irish-trained fillies in the first fillies’ classic, going way back to Stuart Murless’ Nocturnal Spree in 1975.

She won the Listed Silver Flash Stakes on her two-year-old debut and was beaten only by the subsequent Irish 2000 Guineas winner Turtle Island in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes, both times ridden by Stephen Craine.

Perhaps surprisingly she was sent off at 12/1 on her three-year-old debut for the 1000 Guineas behind the 2/1 favourite Mehthaaf, who was ridden by Willie Carson for John Dunlop, and the French-trained Coup De Genie (François Boutin/Cash Asmussen). Her main opposition came from another surprisingly long-priced runner in Balanchine (Hilal Ibrahim/Frankie Dettori), the filly who would go on to win the Oaks before a famous triumph in the Irish Derby.

John Reid donned the Robert Sangster colours this time on the Tommy Stack-trained filly, a daughter of Glenstal.

It was a noteworthy performance as she travelled well to three out on the rail but had a troubled run through, having to move out wide to get clear room. She made her effort along with Balanchine and Coup De Genie to lead a furlong out and as the three pulled clear, battled on to hold the challenge of Balanchine by a short-head with Mehthaaf only fourth in a field of 15.

Mehthaaf got her revenge at the Curragh, winning by a length and a half, and Tommy Stack’s filly failed to make the frame on her four other runs that season before she retired.

IT’S hard to believe that it is 15 years ago since Virginia Waters and Kieren Fallon gave Aidan O’Brien his first win in the 1000 Guineas. Like many of his winners of the race, she started at longer odds than you might have thought. Maids’ Causeway was the 5/1 favourite in an open 20-runner field with the Ballydoyle runner at 12/1.

Virginia Waters had won her maiden and been placed up to Group 3 level as a two-year-old but the Kingmambo filly had won the Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial on her three-year-old debut.

Making headway over two out, and despite hanging right, she led inside final furlong and ran on well for a two-and-a-half-length success.

The win completed a rare double for Coolmore, O’Brien, and Fallon – who had won the 2000 Guineas with Footstepsinthesand a day earlier – one previously achieved by King George VI, Fred Darling and Gordon Richards with Big Game and Sun Chariot in 1942.

Virginia Waters’ subsequent form was disappointing. She finished unplaced behind Saoire on soft ground in the Irish 1000 Guineas and was supplemented to run in the Oaks, for which she was made joint-favourite, but weakened in the closing stages to finish fourth behind Eswarah.

In September at Leopardstown, Virginia Waters produced her best performance since her classic success when she finished a close third behind Attraction in the Group 1 Matron Stakes before she was retired.

2007: Finsceal first in famous treble bid

AFTER an impressive two-year-old season where she won the Prix Marcel Boussac and the Rockfel Stakes, Jim Bolger sent Michael Ryan’s daughter of Mr Greeley to Newmarket as a warm favourite for the fillies’ classic. She accomplished her task with ease, running home a two-and-a-half-length winner from another Irish-trained filly, the John Oxx-trained Arch Swing. It launched an intriguing and ambitious Bolger plan to try to win the 1000 Guineas in three countries.

A week after Newmarket, Finsceal Beo lined up for the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) but on softer ground, she met a very talented rival in Darjina and was caught in the final strides, losing out by a head.

Undaunted, she headed back to the Curragh a week later for the Irish 1000 Guineas where she started at odds-on. Ridden to lead over a furlong out, she was strongly pressed well inside final furlong but kept on well under pressure to beat Dimenticata, with the subsequent multiple Group 1 winner Peeping Fawn back in third.

Racing Post analysis declared her: “blessed with a wonderful amalgam of talent and toughness,” in just failing in the unique treble. She failed to win on her three subsequent runs at three, and though she was a good second to Duke Of Marmalade in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, she never quite reached the heights of her Guineas runs.

Surprisingly, none of the three fillies has produced anything of note at stud.