TOP-CLASS two-year-old Lake Victoria was back to her brilliant best when quickening clear in the Tattersalls 1000 Guineas.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained filly completed an unbeaten juvenile campaign with Group 1 wins from six furlongs to a mile, but returned slightly rusty at Newmarket, where she finished sixth in the 1000 Guineas. Despite Ollie Sangster’s second and third-placed fillies turning up at the Curragh, Lake Victoria was sent off the 10/11 favourite under Ryan Moore, with Dermot Weld’s Group 3 scorer Swelter next in the betting at 11/2.

Tracking the leaders on the inside rail, Lake Victoria was pushed along from three furlongs out and quickened when a gap appeared 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.

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.