Aidan O'Brien secured his eighth success in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday as True Love powered to a one-and-three-quarter length victory over 18 rivals. The victory came after a five-year hiatus for O'Brien in the Newmarket Classics.
True Love, the 5-1 second-favourite, was the second-string of O'Brien's two runners, with stable jockey Ryan Moore aboard Precise, the 9-5 favourite. Precise faded tamely in the final quarter-mile as Wayne Lordan brought True Love to the lead with a smooth, steady run. Despite drifting right through the closing stages, the filly held her rivals at bay.
Outsiders filled the remaining places: Karl Burke's Evolutionist (14-1) finished second, Charlie Johnston's Venetian Lace (33-1) third, and The Prettiest Star (16-1) fourth.
O'Brien praised True Love's performance, noting her versatility. 'You couldn't be sure she was going to get a mile,' he said. 'She's a Queen Mary winner [over five furlongs at Royal Ascot] and it's very unusual for a Queen Mary winner to get a mile. This place, more than any track in the world, is very unforgiving, there's nowhere to hide out there.'
The victory leaves O'Brien just one win short of the all-time record for the 1,000 Guineas, held by Robert Robson, who won the race nine times between 1818 and 1827. Likely immediate targets for True Love include the Irish 1,000 Guineas later this month and the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
In related news, Charlie Appleby's filly Abashiri, making only the second start of her career, ran on well to finish fifth and has now become the clear second-favourite for the Epsom Oaks.
