7th-May-2017

I am taking a chance on Winter at 12/1 in Sunday’s 1000 Guineas.

Aidan O’Brien’s filly has 10lb to find on official ratings with stable companion Rhododendron, who is the correct favourite for the race, and she only won once last year, a maiden at Dundalk in August.  However, there was a lot to like about her debut this season in the 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown, and she looks like she could be progressive enough now to go close in the Guineas.

She was drawn widest of all at Leopardstown, and she was keen all the way down the back straight.  She was wide into the home straight, as the winner Hydrangea enjoyed an inside run in front, but she closed all the way to the line.  She got past Rehana into second place, and just failed by a head to catch her better-fancied stable companion.

It was a big run on her seasonal debut form the Galileo filly, given how keen she was early on and how wide she raced.

That Leopardstown Guineas Trial is often a strong race, it has been won in the recent past by Guineas winners Virginia Waters and Homecoming Queen, and this year’s renewal looked strong, with four of the first five home in last year’s Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes lining up.  Winter did best by far of the non-Moyglare Stud Stakes fillies.

The form is working out well too through third-placed Rehana, who ran out an impressive winner of the Group 3 Athasi Stakes at Naas on Sunday.

Winter is out of Wokingham winner Laddies Poker Two, but she is by Galileo, and that gives her every chance of getting at least a mile this season.  She finished off her race over seven furlongs well at Leopardstown and, if she can settle a little better, which she should do with more cover and with her seasonal debut under her belt, she could run a big race in the Guineas.

WINTER WON (ADV 12/1, SP 9/1)