Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas (Group 1)

LAKE Victoria demonstrated particularly brilliant talent when winning three Group 1s over different distances as a juvenile, and confirmed she had retained all of her ability when outclassing Sunday’s field in the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas.

Aidan O’Brien’s filly lost her unbeaten record on seasonal return when sixth in the Newmarket classic, but given Ballydoyle’s history of bouncing back from disappointment there, it was unsurprising to see her sent off the 10/11 favourite on Sunday. Dermot Weld’s Group 3 scorer Swelter was next in the betting at 11/2.

Tracking the leaders on the inside rail, Ryan Moore pushed her along from three furlongs out and quickened between horses a furlong later.

The Coolmore homebred ran on strongly to lead soon after, keeping on to score by two and a quarter lengths, while the front-running California Dreamer outran odds of 50/1 in second for Adrian Murray, Amo Racing, Giselle de Aguiar and David Egan. The Joe Murphy-trained Cercene (20/1) maintained an upward curve in third.

“She’s an exceptional filly,” Moore told RTE. “She had an unbelievable two-year-old campaign and Newmarket just wasn’t her.

“Today, we haven’t gone mad, we’ve gone quite steady and I’ve had to wait in behind horses. They couldn’t really bring me into the race. She showed a really good turn of foot, she’s done it really nicely.”

Out of this world

Aidan O’Brien, as ever, was quick to praise others involved in his latest classic winner. “All the lads have done an incredible job with her,” the trainer said. “She was only ready to go to Newmarket. We thought she ran an incredible race in the circumstances; Ryan looked after her and was over the moon with her. Everything went right since Newmarket and her work had been out of this world.

“We never had a filly before who won over six, seven and a mile as a two-year-old, went to Newmarket for a racecourse gallop and was only beaten two and a half lengths in the Guineas. She has all the speed in the world, she travels, she does everything.”

O’Brien also praised Ryan Moore, recognising the thrill the usually reserved rider got from the win. “I haven’t seen him smile like that in a long time,” O’Brien noted.

The Frankel filly went into the race as 5/2 favourite for the Coronation Stakes and shortened to 13/8 after Sunday’s win.