1000 Guineas: Ylang Ylang cut after Newmarket win
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Ylang Ylang is 12/1 in Coral’s Qipco 1000 Guineas betting odds and the same price for the Oaks following her return to winning ways in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained bay was not prominent under Ryan Moore and was handled patiently after starting at odds of 9/2 in the one-mile Group One.
On soft ground the race became more of a test of stamina and in the latter stages of the contest she was able to edge past the 3/1 favourite Shuwari to prevail.
Coral’s David Stevens said: “Ylang Ylang had been favourite for both fillies’ Classics after she had won her first two starts, and although she’s not reclaimed favouritism for either race, her Group One success has seen her ante post odds tumble once again.”
Ylang Ylang was an early favourite for next year’s 1000 Guineas after winning her first two starts, triumphing in a Curragh maiden in June before claiming the Group Three Silver Flash Stakes the following month.
The daughter of Frankel was then off the track until September, when she trailed home last of nine runners upped to the highest level in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.
She then finished third in the Rockfel at Newmarket last month, beaten two and a half lengths by the second-placed Shuwari as Carla’s Way proved too good for both.
However, trying a mile for the first time in this contest, Ylang Ylang turned around the form with Shuwari in style.
O’Brien said: “Because her season got interrupted a bit she wouldn’t have been at her 100 per cent best today. We were kind of coming here more for education for next year than today being the be-all and end-all, but I thought Ryan was really incredible on her.
“She’s classy and very brave and a very exciting filly for next year. She’s done for this season and looking at her today, she’d have no problem starting in a Guineas and could get the Oaks trip.”
Her stablemate Opera Singer – a five-length winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac – is the 5/1 favourite in the 1000 Guineas betting odds.
Of Opera Singer, O’Brien added: “We saw what she did the last day (in the Boussac) and they’re both very smart fillies.
“Opera Singer is by Justify and when Justifys go past the furlong marker, when they go seven furlongs or a mile, they just take off.”
Shuwari dream still alive
Fillies’ Mile runner-up Shuwari is 14/1 in the 2024 1000 Guineas odds and trainer Ollie Sangster was pleased with her performance.
“I was very happy and she ran a great race,” he said. “She saw out the trip well, I think we just got outstayed in the last 50 yards by Ryan and obviously that is a very good filly. I think she liked the ground as it wasn’t that soft. Everything went well apart from the fact we didn’t win.
“That will be her for the season and I suppose we will work back from the 1000 Guineas. I wouldn’t be afraid of pitching straight up into a 1000 Guineas as she is a straightforward filly to train.
“The dream is still alive. It is frustrating to come so close, but equally we are delighted to be here in the first place.
“If someone had asked me at the start of the year if we would have had a runner in a Group One, I would have been thrilled. I hope she will get her day as she is a hard-working filly.”
Andrew Balding trained the third-placed See The Fire, who is now 20/1 in the 1000 Guineas betting odds.
He said: “She travelled strongly, but she got there sooner than Oisin (Murphy) wanted to. She just tired late on but she is an exciting filly, and we are looking forward to next year.
“I think we will look towards the 1000 Guineas with her.”
Dance Sequence patience pays off
Dance Sequence is also among the leading contenders in the 1000 Guineas betting after pouncing late to land the Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes for William Buick and Charlie Appleby.
The filly went into the race with one run and one victory under her belt and started at 4/1 for the seven-furlong Group Three despite not having run since July.
Travelling in mid division, the daughter of Dubawi joined runner-up and 7/4 favourite Skellet in pulling clear of the field at the half-furlong pole before crossing the line a neck ahead of the latter horse.
The pair pulled three lengths clear of third-placed Star Music, with the winner now a 14/1 shot for the 1000 Guineas with Coral.
“We purposely gave her the gap after Newmarket,” said Appleby. “She’s a big, scopey filly and people would have been saying you could be going here, there and everywhere, but we’re well aware that we’re in the process of rebuilding our team and fillies like these aren’t easy to come by sometimes, so we purposely wanted to give her the time.
“We wanted to come here, get this assignment done, hopefully put away for the winter and dream about running in some Guineas trials next year.”
Fallen Angel preparing for next season
Fallen Angel is second favourite in the 1000 Guineas odds at 8/1 but sidestepped the Fillies’ Mile and has been put away until next season.
The daughter of Too Darn Hot has won three of her four starts to date, her only defeat coming at the hands of Shuwari in the Star Stakes at Sandown in July.
Karl Burke’s filly bounced back to winning ways with a dominant success in the Sweet Solera at Newmarket before striking Group One gold in last month’s Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh (pictured below).
A potential rematch with Shuwari on the Rowley Mile looked to be on the cards, but connections of Fallen Angel feel their filly has done enough for this season and will spend the winter dreaming of Classic glory next spring.
Joe Foley, racing manager for owners Clipper Logistics, said: “We were always planning to give her just four runs this year. If she hadn’t won the Moyglare we would have targeted the Fillies’ Mile, but she’s already a Group One winner at two now and she’s a big filly with lots of scope for next year, so we don’t want to interfere with that.
On whether Fallen Angel could have a prep run before running in the 1000 Guineas next year, Foley added: “We’ll see how she goes and leave that to Karl. Going straight to the Newmarket Guineas was the original plan, but that could change.”
1000 Guineas betting odds
5/1 Opera Singer
8/1 Fallen Angel
12/1 One Look, Ramatuelle, Ylang Ylang
14/1 Dance Sequence, Matrika
16/1 Carla’s Way, Porta Fortuna, Shuwari, Vespertillo
20/1 See The Fire
25/1 Buttons, Darnation
33/1 Bar
All odds and market correct at date of publication
