Trained by Saeed Bin Suroor for Godolphin, White Moonstone remains the antepost favourite to win the 1000 Guineas in May and provide jockey, Frankie Dettori his first winner of the race since Kazzia won for the Godolphin team in 2004.

Favourites have a very good recent record in the race winning three from the last four, although it has to be said that Special Duty was fortunate to win the race last year after being headed on the line from the later disqualified Jacqueline Guest. The last favourite to win the race before that however was the Henry Cecil trained, Wince in 1999 with Kieren Fallon on board.

Unbeaten in four starts the White Moonstone is currently a best price of 7/1 for the first filly’s classic of the season, which takes place over the hallowed turf of the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket. The now three year old progressed in almost perfect fashion in her juvenile season, winning her maiden at the first time of asking in July at Ascot, before going on to win the Group 3 Solera Stakes over 7 furlongs on the Newmarket July Course in August.

She was next seen winning the Grade 2 May Hill Stakes at Doncaster in September where she impressively won by 5 lengths on good ground. White Moonstone’s final race came in the Grade 1 Fillies Mile again at Ascot on good to soft ground which she won by a neck from the Aidan O’Brien trained Together after coming with a late run. Together since went on to come third in the Tattersalls Millions 2 Y O Trophy and fifth in the Juvenile Fillies Turf at the Breeders Cup meeting at Churchill Downs.

Others coming in for market support include the Criquette Head trained Helleborine, who was second, a length adrift of Misty For Me in the Group 1 in the Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium Des Pouliches at Longchamp on ‘Arc’ day. It was her first defeat from four starts and she will undoubtedly benefit from the race. She is currently 10/1 for the Guineas, the same price as her conqueror at Longchamp, Misty For Me.

It is Aidan O’Brien who trains Misty For Me and he must extremely pleased with the progress she made as a juvenile. She did in fact start her racing career quite badly finishing well down the field in a Curragh Maiden, but she made amends at the second time of asking three weeks later. She then ran very well to finish second behind Laughing Lashes in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes over seven furlongs but she had stablemate, Together 3 lengths behind her in third place. However she reversed the form with Laughing lashes in her next outing which was the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes, winning by a length on good to firm ground. Then of course came her great victory in Longchamp.

O’Brien has not won the 1000 Guineas since 2005 when his Virginia Waters won the race, that victory to date is his only success in the race.

Author Bio: Read more about the 2011 1000 Guineas at the author\’s website.

Category: Sports
Keywords: 1000 guineas, horse racing, racing, horses, betting, flat, odds, white moonstone