The firm ground ensured some fast times were recorded by several winners over the two days of the Qipco Guineas meeting at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course.
Sole Power (7/2 jf), trained by Edward Lynam, powered to a time of 57 seconds for the five furlongs in the Group 3 Pearl Bloodstock Palace House Stakes.
Kevin Ryan’s Hamza (5/1 jf) was simply too quick for his rivals in the six furlong Harbour Watch Handicap and he made every yard of the running under Neil Callan to win by 2 ¾ lengths in a time of 1 minute 10 seconds.
The trainer was also delighted by the run of Glory Awaits, who finished second at 150/1 in the Qipco 2000 Guineas.
There was a celestial connection in the names of the Guineas winners with Dawn Approach (Jim Bolger) winning the 2000 Guineas and Sky Lantern (Richard Hannon) the 1000 Guineas. Sky Lantern’s victory gave jockey Richard Hughes with his first British Classic winner.
Aidan O’Brien’s Moth finished third in the 1000 Guineas, showing on the racecourse some of the potential connections knew she had. As a result, the Galileo filly is now just 7/2 for the Epsom Oaks at the end of May.
Mark Johnston’s Windhoek looks a fine horse and is now unbeaten in three races after taking the Listed Qatar Racing Newmarket Stakes. The colt was successful in the 200,000 Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-O Trophy over the same course and distance in April. The colt holds an entry for the Betfred Dante Stakes at York in a couple of weeks, as well as for the King Edward VII Stakes (Royal Ascot) and Sandown's Coral-Eclipse in July.
The appropriately named Talent won the Pretty Polly Stakes for fillies. Ralph Beckett’s filly is sired by New Approach and could certainly be one to follow during the season. She holds entries in the Epsom Oaks (Group 1), the Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2 ) at Royal Ascot, and the Irish Oaks (Group 1).
