A day after Air Force Blue failed to live up to his reputation in the 2000 Guineas, his stable companion Minding showed herself to be the real deal with a breathtaking victory in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Minding led home a remarkable one-two-three for Aidan O'Brien in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

The 11-10 favourite, ridden by Ryan Moore, travelled beautifully throughout as Lumiere set the pace before putting the race to bed with a scintillating turn of foot.

Ballydoyle came from the rear of the field to claim second place, three and a half lengths away, while Alice Springs hung on grimly for third.

Moore said: "She's out on her own, really. It wouldn't have been the plan (to race so prominently), we didn't go that quick early on but she hit the gates very well and I didn't want to be taking her back.

"I was expecting a bit more speed in the race. She's just faster than them and stays better than them. She's faster than them all.

"She certainly hasn't gone backwards."

O'Brien said: "We were delighted with them all. They are three top-class fillies. It's a big team effort so it's great for everybody. It was marvellous.

"We thought she was a very nice filly, but a lot of hard work goes in by a lot of people.

"We've always thought she'd stay but obviously we'll talk about the Oaks, as you would. She's something to look forward to."

Minding was cut to 4-5 favourite from 3-1 for the Investec Oaks with Paddy Power.

Moore went on: "We were going very comfortably and had them all in trouble at halfway.

"It (mile and a half) is another question, but she looks like she'll go further."

Of O'Brien recording his 250th Group One success, Moore added: "H is record is unbelievable and there's no one better to get a horse ready for a top race."

Expanding on the success, O'Brien said: "She's always been very high class and she's a pure home-bred. We've known the family well for a long time, which is great, it's a massive help.

"She's exciting, really. Ryan rode her handy and he was happy to do that, she looked relaxed, she wasn't tense and he was very confident she was going to stay and everyone at home thought she was very fit.

"We know she handles more cut in the ground than that, which is great, she's not ground dependent and I hadn't realised she won three and a half lengths - she really galloped home. She doesn't stop, she keeps going.

"All those things are open to her. She'd have the option of going back to an Irish Guineas and then an Oaks after that, but everyone will talk about it.

"It (Oaks) is very possible, but I don't want to say it until we get home. We've always thought she'd stay."

O'Brien described Moore as the "ultimate professional."

He said: "He's a special fellow, a total professional. He's the ultimate professional, in every way, in everything he does. He doesn't leave any stone unturned.

"We're so privileged that he is part of our team."

SMART FILLIES

There were two other very smart performances from other fillies on the Newmarket card.

Swiss Range displayed a stunning burst of speed to run out an impressive winner of the Tweenhills Pretty Polly Stakes.

Frankie Dettori held her up at the rear of the field until the cut-away point in the track over two furlongs, when she quickened smartly to storm to the front.

There was no stopping the John Gosden-trained filly as Swiss Range (6-4 favourite) raced to the line three lengths clear of Chicadoro.

Even Song found a gap far too late and was a further two and three-quarter lengths back in third place.

Gosden said: "She was very keen early on, but she showed a great turn of foot when the cut-away came.

"She is a nice filly and did it well off no pace, and I like the way she quickened.

"She's a big girl. She will have learnt a lot mentally and she's still not fully there in her coat.

"If anything I think she is a Prix de Diane filly, as I think a mile and a half might just stretch her. We could get another race in, or we could go for a racecourse gallop.

"I'm very happy with her, and Chantilly is probably the place to go."

Gosden has now won the last three runnings of the Pretty Polly, with his 2014 heroine Taghrooda being particularly noteworthy.

He added: "Taghrooda won an Oaks and a King George, I'm not putting her in that sentence but she is progressive and has got plenty of scope and aiming at the Diane is pretty high."

Dettori said: "On this good ground she kicked along nicely. She could be a very nice filly.

"Physically she can improve throughout the season."

Earlier on the card the Andre Fabre-trained Usherette looked a filly to follow when taking the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes in the Godolphin colours. The four-year-old daughter of Shamardal scored by a cosy length from Arabian Queen, with multiple Group 1 winner Amazing Maria almost five lengths back in third place.

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