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Newmarket Guineas Festival 2009

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Special Duty Heads 71 in StanJames.com 1000 Guineas
05/02/10

French trainer Criquette Head-Maarek has landed the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas on three occasions with Ma Biche (1983), Ravinella (1988) and Hatoof (1992) and looks to have an excellent chance of adding to that terrific record in 2010 with Special Duty, the clear 7/2 favourite with Stan James for the first fillies’ Classic of the season for which there are 71 entries, six more than last year.

Last season the daughter of Hennessy won the Group Two Robert Papin against the colts at Maisons-Laffitte and then ran Arcano to a short-neck when runner-up in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville.

Misheer
© racing-images.co.uk

Her season ended with an imperious performance on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in the Group One Electrolux Cheveley Park Stakes in October, when she defeated decisively fellow StanJames.com 1000 Guineas entrants Misheer and Lady Of The Desert.

Head-Maarek reports Special Duty to be in rude health and commented today: “Special Duty is on course for the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas.

“She has wintered very well - she has filled out and grown a little - and she looks very well at the moment. She will hopefully have a prep race in the Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte on April 8 and then head to Newmarket, providing that she runs well.

“I have always thought that she was a good filly because I started her off in a Listed race against the colts first time out. She then ran as a maiden in the Prix Robert Papin and that form has worked out tip-top with Siyouni going on to land the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

“She wasn’t unlucky in the Prix Morny but she went off quite fast. She showed tremendous speed on that occasion but I think that she showed that she could stay a bit in the Electrolux Cheveley Park Stakes, when she ran on quite well.

“The way she won that race suggests that she can get the mile at Newmarket and you can win the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas with a fast horse.

“If she goes there, then she will have a good shot of winning.”

In addition to Special Duty, there are two other French-trained entries. Joanna, trained by Jean Claude Rouget and third in the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp last season, and Ayun Tara, from the Xavier Nakkachdji stable and runner-up in the UAE 1000 Guineas at Meydan earlier this year.

Seta is second favourite with Stan James at 14/1. The Luca Cumani-trained filly was an eight-length winner on her debut in a maiden on the July Course in August and subsequently finished third behind Pollenator in the Group Two May Hill Stakes at Doncaster. Misheer, runner-up to Special Duty in the Electrolux Cheveley Park Stakes, boasts winning form at Newmarket, having landed the Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cherry Hinton Stakes in July.

No current trainer can match the record of Henry Cecil in the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas, who has six victories to his name courtesy of One In A Million (1979), Fairy Footsteps (1981), Oh So Sharp (1985), Bosra Sham (1996), Sleepytime (1997) and Wince (1999). There are five entries from Warren Place this year, including Aviate, who like last year’s heroine Ghanaati won a Polytrack maiden at Kempton on her latest start, Yarmouth maiden victor Principal Role and Timepiece, successful in the Listed Montrose Stakes over the course and distance on October 31.

Tabassum
© racing-images.co.uk

Fellow Newmarket handler Sir Michael Stoute has four to choose from including Tabassum, successful in the Group Three Sakhee Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket last year as well as maiden winners Muwakaba and Revered.

Barry Hills landed an emotional victory with Ghanaati last year, to add to his earlier victory with Enstone Spark (1978). The Lambourn handler has two entries this time around in Sent From Heaven, a Group Three scorer at Goodwood and Za Za Zoom, successful in a maiden at Windsor.

Godolphin took the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas with Cape Verdi (1998) and Kazzia (2002) and there are four entries from the Maktoum family’s operation this time including the Group One Fillies’ Mile victress Hibaayeb. Siyaadah has already won a ‘Guineas’ this season, having collected the UAE version at Meydan on 11th February.

Aidan O’Brien has 10 to choose from including Lillie Langtry, successful at Newmarket in the Timeform Tattersalls Fillies’ 800 and You’ll Be Mine, third behind Hibaayeb in the Group One Fillies’ Mile at Ascot. In total, there are 17 Irish-trained entries.

Charlie McCann, Head of PR for Stan James, said: "Once again we are delighted with the quality of entries for the 2010 StanJames.com 1000 Guineas and, as with Natagora in 2008, we have a very strong French challenge.

“Special Duty is to attempt to give Criquette Head-Maarek a fourth win in the Classic and she looks the one to beat after her scintillating victory in the Group One Electrolux Cheveley Park Stakes last autumn."

Tickets are now on sale now for the StanJames.com Guineas Festival and are priced at £40 Premier Enclosure, £25 Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure and £10 Garden Enclosure. Why not visit www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk for a 25% discount when tickets are booked online in advance. Alternatively, tickets can be ordered over the telephone on 0844 579 3010.

THE StanJames.com 1000 GUINEAS

Class 1, Group 1 Race, Total Prize fund £400,000. Newmarket, Sunday, May 2, 2010, one mile. For three-year-old fillies only. Entries closed March 2, entries revealed March 4 (71 entries).Scratchings deadline noon, April 20. Six-day confirmation and £30,000 supplementary stage noon, April 26. Final declaration stage 10.00am, April 30. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up and including the racing of Monday, March 1, 2010. May not include some overseas form.

Form Horse Owner Trainer

56-(1) AREEDA (IRE) Saeed Manana Clive Brittain

135- ASTROPHYSICAL JET Ladas Ed McMahon

105122- ATASARI (IRE) Jackie Bolger Jim Bolger IRE

(1)- AVIATE Khalid Abdulla Henry Cecil

0(2)- AWE INSPIRING (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

51112-(2) AYUN TARA (FR) Prime Equestrian Sarl Xavier Nakkachdji FR

124- BEYOND DESIRE Clipper Logistics Michael Jarvis

2125- BLUE MAIDEN Peter Charter Charlie McBride

2110- CABARET (IRE) Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith Aidan O'Brien IRE

1365- CHACHAMAIDEE (IRE) R A H Evans Henry Cecil

1- DECORATIVE (IRE) Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Royal Pal Michael Jarvis

3312- DEVOTED TO YOU (IRE) Diane Nagle & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE

3110- DISTINCTIVE Gary & Lesley Middlebrook Bryan Smart

0(4)- DUBAI MEDIA (CAN) Ahmad Al Shaikh David Simcock

32(1)5- DYNA WALTZ George Strawbridge John Gosden

16321- ELECTRIC FEEL Joseph Barton Marco Botti

1- EMULOUS Khalid Abdulla Dermot Weld IRE

1(1)- EOLITH Alison Ruggles William Knight

241524- FAMOUS (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

1- FIELD DAY (IRE) Ballymacoll Stud Brian Meehan

4- FULL OF HOPE (IRE) Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE

15- GILE NA GREINE (IRE) Jackie Bolger & Harry Dobson Jim Bolger IRE

123466- GOLD BUBBLES (USA) June Judd, Jackie Bolger, Ennistown Stud Jim Bolger IRE

(2)254- GREEN DANDY (IRE) Frank Cosgrove Eoghan O'Neill

31120- HABAAYIB Hamdan Al Maktoum Ed Dunlop

121- HAFAWA (IRE) Hamdan Al Maktoum Mark Johnston

3221- HIBAAYEB Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

210- JACQUELINE QUEST (IRE) N Martin Henry Cecil

140435- JIRA Saeed Manana Clive Brittain

12113- JOANNA (IRE) Hamdan Al Maktoum Jean Claude Rouget FR

3132- LADY DARSHAAN (IRE) Coleman Bloodstock Limited Stan Moore

0541- LADY LUPUS (IRE) Anne-Marie O'Brien Aidan O'Brien IRE

16113- LADY OF THE DESERT (USA) Jaber Abdullah Brian Meehan

121310- LILLIE LANGTRY (IRE) Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE

1140- LONG LASHES (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

33124- MARIE DE MEDICI (USA) Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum Mark Johnston

112102- MISHEER Saeed Manana Clive Brittain

(0)3- MISS MITTAGONG (USA) Richard Pegum Ralph Beckett

10120- MUDAARAAH Hamdan Al Maktoum John Dunlop

5- MUJDEYA Hamdan Al Maktoum John Gosden

1101- MUSIC SHOW (IRE) Jaber Abdullah Mick Channon

(1)- MUWAKABA (USA) Hamdan Al Maktoum Sir Michael Stoute

(5)(2)32- NURTURE (IRE) Richard Pegum Ralph Beckett

524- PINK SYMPHONY Fitri Hay Paul Cole

13- PIPETTE George Strawbridge Andrew Balding

01- PLUME Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Touchstone Richard Hannon

62211- POLLENATOR (IRE) The Royal Ascot Racing Club Richard Hannon

1- PRINCIPAL ROLE (USA) Khalid Abdulla Henry Cecil

(1)4242- PUFF (IRE) Mr and Mrs David Aykroyd Ralph Beckett

0(2)(1)64(0)- QUEEN OF TROY (IRE) Sue Magnier/Paul Fleming Aidan O'Brien IRE

0131- QUEEN'S GRACE Exors of the late Miss Bridget Swire Hughie Morrison

2- REMEMBER WHEN (IRE) Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

31- REVERED Khalid Abdulla Sir Michael Stoute

0- ROMANCEA (USA) Ali Saeed Ed Vaughan

(1)- RUMOUSH (USA) Hamdan Al Maktoum Marcus Tregoning

3- SAFINA Cheveley Park Stud Sir Michael Stoute

1- SAGACIOUS (IRE) Miss A H Marshall Jim Bolger IRE

5(1)3110- SAND VIXEN Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

42- SCORN (USA) James Wigan John Gosden

(1)314- SENT FROM HEAVEN (IRE) Triermore Stud Barry Hills

13- SETA Sarah J Leigh Luca Cumani

SHAMS ALBAWADI (USA) Ali Saeed Ed Vaughan

10- SILVER ROCK (IRE) Eastwind Racing Ltd and Martha Trussell Mikael Magnusson

106-(1)(3) SIYAADAH Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

6116- SONG OF MY HEART (IRE) Sir Robert Ogden David Wachman IRE

2121- SPECIAL DUTY Khalid Abdulla Criquette Head-Maarek FR

113- TABASSUM (IRE) Hamdan Al Maktoum Sir Michael Stoute

11- TERMAGANT (IRE) Jorg Vasicek Kevin Prendergast IRE

2(1)1- TIMEPIECE Khalid Abdulla Henry Cecil

413- YOU'LL BE MINE (USA) Roisin Henry & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE

512- ZA ZA ZOOM (IRE) Simon Brooke & Steve Smith Barry Hills

71 Entries

17 Irish-trained

3 French-trained