Dubai: Homecoming Queen, ridden by former British champion jockey Ryan Moore, displayed a devastating turn of foot to win the Qipco 1,000 Guineas by a record nine lengths.
The daughter of Holy Roman Empire's winning distance was the second biggest in the history of the race following the 20-length margin set by Mayonaise back in 1895.
Homecoming Queen, who completed a stunning Guineas double for top Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien, provided Moore with his first success in the fillies' Classic. It was also O'Brien's second victory in the race after Virginia Waters in 2005 and capped a great British weekend which saw him win the 2,000 Guineas on Saturday with Camelot.
The second Classic of the season was delayed by a fatal injury suffered by Gray Pearl, who had gone down in the stalls, prior to the start of the race. The race eventually got under way 30 minutes later than scheduled and Moore, a regular rider in Dubai during the winter, was quick out of the gates with Homecoming Queen and stormed into the lead.
The Holy Roman Emperor filly, who was having the 14th start of her career dominated the race and left her rivals trailing in her wake.
John Gosden's Starscope was second and the favourite Maybe third. Godolphin's Discourse finished 16th and Lyric of Light 17th.
‘Delighted'
Moore was delighted with his first Newmarket fillies' Classic and said: "Aidan said she was very fit and very well. I thought I was going a stride too quick, but she just kept going. There's not much of her, but she tries very hard. She's very tough."
O'Brien added: "It's incredible. She's a hardy, tough filly with a great pedigree. In the last couple of weeks she's gone into a different zone.
"We went to the Breeders' Cup with her after that but she was entitled to be tired there. She ran first time up at the Curragh when she got a little bit tired, but won nicely at Leopardstown.
"It was an incredible performance and Joseph [O'Brien] said she was the filly he was most worried about as she would be going off in front and it was Maybe's first run. I was delighted with Maybe, too."
RESULTS
The daughter of Holy Roman Empire's winning distance was the second biggest in the history of the race following the 20-length margin set by Mayonaise back in 1895.
Homecoming Queen, who completed a stunning Guineas double for top Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien, provided Moore with his first success in the fillies' Classic. It was also O'Brien's second victory in the race after Virginia Waters in 2005 and capped a great British weekend which saw him win the 2,000 Guineas on Saturday with Camelot.
The second Classic of the season was delayed by a fatal injury suffered by Gray Pearl, who had gone down in the stalls, prior to the start of the race. The race eventually got under way 30 minutes later than scheduled and Moore, a regular rider in Dubai during the winter, was quick out of the gates with Homecoming Queen and stormed into the lead.
The Holy Roman Emperor filly, who was having the 14th start of her career dominated the race and left her rivals trailing in her wake.
John Gosden's Starscope was second and the favourite Maybe third. Godolphin's Discourse finished 16th and Lyric of Light 17th.
‘Delighted'
Moore was delighted with his first Newmarket fillies' Classic and said: "Aidan said she was very fit and very well. I thought I was going a stride too quick, but she just kept going. There's not much of her, but she tries very hard. She's very tough."
O'Brien added: "It's incredible. She's a hardy, tough filly with a great pedigree. In the last couple of weeks she's gone into a different zone.
"We went to the Breeders' Cup with her after that but she was entitled to be tired there. She ran first time up at the Curragh when she got a little bit tired, but won nicely at Leopardstown.
"It was an incredible performance and Joseph [O'Brien] said she was the filly he was most worried about as she would be going off in front and it was Maybe's first run. I was delighted with Maybe, too."
RESULTS
- Qipco 1,000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1) (3yo only) 1,600m:
- Homecoming Queen (A O'Brien) Ryan Moore; 2. Starscope (J Gosden) Jimmy Fortune; 3. Maybe (A O'Brien) Joseph O'Brien; 4. The Fugue (J Gosden) William Buick.
- Distances: 9Lengths, 1L, 3/4L.
- Winning time: 1:40.45secs.
