True Love lands eighth English 1000 Guineas for O'Brien / Photo: Glyn KIRK - AFP
True Love lands eighth English 1000 Guineas for O'Brien
Trainer Aidan O'Brien's second string True Love delivered the Irishman an eighth English 1000 Guineas success at Newmarket on Sunday to move him within one win of equalling the record for victories in the race.
True Love gave the 56-year-old handler speedy compensation for his 2000 Guineas joint-favourite Gstaad's second place in Saturday's colts' classic.
As with Gstaad, O'Brien's race favourite Precise (9/5) came up short, failing to find an extra gear to finish seventh of the 19 runners.
However, jockey Wayne Lordan was on hand to produce True Love (5/1) with a devastating burst of speed to take the prestigious prize in impressive style.
O'Brien, who is one off the race record set by Robert Robson in the 19th century, said True Love might try for a Guineas double in the Irish edition on May 24 and then the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
“She is very classy," said O'Brien. "Wayne said he was doing a half speed down past the two-furlong pole on her. All he wanted to do was wait and I thought he was exceptional on her. He was very cool."
Lordan, 44, has won many major prizes for O'Brien despite being on his boss's less-fancied runners -- stable jockey Ryan Moore has first say on who he rides -- and this was his third win in the 1000 Guineas.
“Thankfully it is a lucky race for me, but for me, when I'm in the position I am I get to ride nice horses and when you have that you have always got a chance of winning nice races,” said Lordan.
Two outsiders filled the minor placings, English trained-fillies Evolutionist (16/1) and Venetian Lace (33/1) finishing second and third respectively.
Both will bid for Oaks glory next up with Evolutionist in the French version, the Prix de Diane, on June 14, and Venetian Lace in the Epsom Oaks on June 5.
(A.Smit--TPT)
