A smart field of 12 fillies will head to the 1m start for Sunday’s Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh Sunday afternoon at 3:40pm. Aidan O’Brien is the dominant figure in this contest and he will saddle the hot favourite in Lake Victoria, who looks the one to beat. Our tipster Steve Chambers previews the contest and picks out his 1-2-3 for the fillies’ Classic.
Favourites
With a stunning ten wins in the Irish 1000 Guineas, Aidan O’Brien has long been the man to look out for in the Curragh Group 1, but the master of Ballydoyle hasn’t tasted success since 2021 when Empress Josephine tasted victory and he will be eager to recapture the Classic crown on Sunday. He looks to have a fabulous chance of gathering the prize as he will unleash the hot favourite Lake Victoria, who is looking to bounce back from disappointment in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Well fancied to put a challenge on Desert Flower, the Frankel filly failed to land any sort of blow on the Godolphin heroine and could only finish sixth. In the aftermath of the race, O’Brien was quick to express his will to get the run in for his star two-year-old, who went unbeaten through her juvenile campaign, so a lot more is expected here.
Dermot Weld has won two of the last three renewals of the race with Homeless Songs (2022) and Tahiyra (2023) claiming victory and the Rosewell House handler will saddle the unbeaten Swelter, who is well fancied. Last seen beaten O’Brien’s Exactly in a Group 3 event at Leopardstown, the daughter of Kingman will need to improve again, but could well do so and has to be considered.
Ollie Sangster will saddle a dual-pronged attack in this event and Flight and Simmering both ran stormers at huge odds in the English 1000 Guineas, as they finished second and third. A lot shorter in the betting here, both are likely to continue on an upward curve, but they may lack the improvement that Lake Victoria has in her locker, so they face an uphill battle to frank that Newmarket form.
Outsiders
Not seen on the track as a juvenile, Donnacha O’Brien’s Atsila is two from two on the track and she makes the gargantuan step up to Group 1 company here. A winner at Bellewstown on debut back in April, she then beat Cercene in a Group 3 contest at the Curragh a few weeks and that pair will do battle again on Sunday.
The second shot fired by the O’Brien gun will be January, who was extremely consistent as a two-year-old and was last seen finishing second in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket. Making her seasonal reappearance here, she will be looking to maintain her fine record on the track, and, if fully tuned up, can possible make the placings.
Of the others, Paddy Twomey’s City Of Memphis was impressive when winning at Cork maiden a couple of weeks ago and could be a smart performer, while the likes of Duty First and California Dreamer add more depth to the contest, but are available at big odds.
Irish 1000 Guineas Prediction
Aidan O’Brien’s LAKE VICTORIA disappointed in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, but she should come on leaps and bounds for that run and she can prove to be the class of the race here. She was a really smart juvenile and if she can replicate those runs then she can get the better of her main market rival Swelter, while stablemate January can complete the first three home.
- Lake Victoria
- Swelter
- January
Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.