The purple colours of Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation have yet to be carried to victory in a Group One event, but the high-profile football agent expects to have two big chances to break his duck in the space of three days next month after the emphatic last-to-first success of Mammas Girl in the Nell Gwyn Stakes.
Richard Hannon’s filly was behind all 14 of her rivals with a quarter of a mile to run, but found such an impressive turn of foot when she met the rising ground a furlong out that she crossed the line nearly three lengths clear. She is now top-priced at around 7-1 (from 50-1) for the 1,000 Guineas on 7 May.
“It is amazing,” Joorabchian said. “She gave a cracking performance on her debut [in October] and we’ve always loved her. Going into it, I said to Richard [Hannon, her trainer], I can’t understand why she is 28-1 [in the early betting]. I don’t see her getting beat.”
Guineas weekend could pose some logistical problems for Joorabchian, as his filly Affirmative Lady, a daughter of the brilliant Arrogate, is a contender for the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on 5 May, while Mammas Girl is now around 8-1 for the 1,000 Guineas on the Rowley Mile here two days later.
“Affirmative Lady is second-highest rated, so I’ve got to decide whether I will be here or there,” he said. “It is a good decision, you would rather be having these decisions.”
Canberra Legend, the winner of the nine-furlong Fielden Stakes earlier on the card, is also entered in the 2,000 Guineas, but his staying-on success suggested he is more likely to go up in trip than back and James Ferguson, his trainer, seems more inclined towards a run in the Dante Stakes at York in mid-May.
Ayr 1.15 Traprain Law 1.50 Rocky Man 2.25 Hourvari 3.00 Christopher Wood 3.35 Charm Offensive 4.10 One Mill Harbour 4.45 Ladronne
Fontwell Park 1.40 Ilot De L’Isle 2.15 Mickyh 2.50 Hudson De Grugy 3.20 Ike Sport 3.55 For Gina 4.30 Jigginstown King 5.05 Solstice Saint
Newbury 1.30 Kalik 2.05 Crazy Luck (nb) 2.40 Beccara Rose 3.15 Chesspiece 3.50 Mostly Sunny 4.25 Tafreej 4.55 Valtellina 5.30 Heartbreaking
Bath 4.40 John Betjeman 5.20 Talamanca 5.55 Juniper Berries 6.25 Get Ahead (nap) 6.55 All Blues 7.25 Havana Goldrush 7.55 Sociologist
Exeter 5.00 Pure Theatre 5.35 Getaway Tom 6.05 Gabriel’s Getaway 6.35 Roger Rarebit 7.05 Greatest Star 7.35 Quintin’s Man 8.05 I’m Ravenous
“Whether it [the Guineas] is unlikely or not, I can’t say without speaking to the owner,” Ferguson said. “We’ve got a lot of options and it’s very exciting to have a horse of this calibre. We have to see how he comes out of the race, the Guineas isn’t actually that far away [on 6 May], but he looks like he’ll get further.
“I was hopeful today. When he won at Newcastle [in February] in such a quick time, he looked like he thoroughly enjoyed it and he is obviously going to come on for the run.”
It is 10 years since Ruler Of The World became the last horse to win the Derby at Epsom without having raced at two, and Canberra Legend is priced up at around 20-1 (from 50-1) to be the next.
