Special Duty today headed 71 entries who stood their ground for this year's StanJames.com 1,000 Guineas
French trainer Criquette Head-Maarek has landed the classic on three occasions and looks to have an excellent chance of adding to that terrific record the current clear 7/2 favourite .
Last season the daughter of Hennessy won the Group Two Robert Papin against the colts at Maisons-Laffitte and then ran Arcano to a short-neck when runner-up in the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville.
Her season ended with an imperious performance on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in the Group One Electrolux Cheveley Park Stakes in October, when she defeated decisively fellow StanJames.com 1000 Guineas entrants Misheer and Lady Of The Desert.
Head-Maarek reports Special Duty to be in rude health and said today: “Special Duty is on course for the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas.
“She has wintered very well - she has filled out and grown a little - and she looks very well at the moment. She will hopefully have a prep race in the Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte on April 8 and then head to Newmarket, providing that she runs well.
“I have always thought that she was a good filly because I started her off in a Listed race against the colts first time out. She then ran as a maiden in the Prix Robert Papin and that form has worked out tip-top with Siyouni going on to land the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
“She wasn’t unlucky in the Prix Morny but she went off quite fast. She showed tremendous speed on that occasion but I think that she showed that she could stay a bit in the Electrolux Cheveley Park Stakes, when she ran on quite well.
“The way she won that race suggests that she can get the mile at Newmarket and you can win the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas with a fast horse.
“If she goes there, then she will have a good shot of winning.”
In addition to Special Duty, there are two other French-trained entries. Joanna, trained by Jean Claude Rouget and third in the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp last season, and Ayun Tara, from the Xavier Nakkachdji stable and runner-up in the UAE 1000 Guineas at Meydan earlier this year.
Seta is second favourite with Stan James at 14/1. The Luca Cumani-trained filly was an eight-length winner on her debut in a maiden on the July Course in August and subsequently finished third behind Pollenator in the Group Two May Hill Stakes at Doncaster. Misheer, runner-up to Special Duty in the Electrolux Cheveley Park Stakes, boasts winning form at Newmarket, having landed the Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cherry Hinton Stakes in July.
No current trainer can match the record of Henry Cecil in the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas, who has six victories to his name courtesy of One In A Million (1979), Fairy Footsteps (1981), Oh So Sharp (1985), Bosra Sham (1996), Sleepytime (1997) and Wince (1999). There are five entries from Warren Place this year, including Aviate, who like last year’s heroine Ghanaati won a Polytrack maiden at Kempton on her latest start, Yarmouth maiden victor Principal Role and Timepiece, successful in the Listed Montrose Stakes over the course and distance on October 31.
Fellow Newmarket handler Sir Michael Stoute has four to choose from including Tabassum, successful in the Group Three Sakhee Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket last year as well as maiden winners Muwakaba and Revered.
Barry Hills landed an emotional victory with Ghanaati last year, to add to his earlier victory with Enstone Spark (1978). The Lambourn handler has two entries this time around in Sent From Heaven, a Group Three scorer at Goodwood and Za Za Zoom, successful in a maiden at Windsor.
Godolphin took the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas with Cape Verdi (1998) and Kazzia (2002) and there are four entries from the Maktoum family’s operation this time including the Group One Fillies’ Mile victress Hibaayeb. Siyaadah has already won a ‘Guineas’ this season, having collected the UAE version at Meydan on 11th February.
Aidan O’Brien has 10 to choose from including Lillie Langtry, successful at Newmarket in the Timeform Tattersalls Fillies’ 800 and You’ll Be Mine, third behind Hibaayeb in the Group One Fillies’ Mile at Ascot. In total, there are 17 Irish-trained entries.
Charlie McCann, Head of PR for Stan James, said: "Once again we are delighted with the quality of entries for the 2010 StanJames.com 1000 Guineas and, as with Natagora in 2008, we have a very strong French challenge.
“Special Duty is to attempt to give Criquette Head-Maarek a fourth win in the Classic and she looks the one to beat after her scintillating victory in the Group One Electrolux Cheveley Park Stakes last autumn."
Latest prices from Stan James: 7/2 Special Duty, 14/1 Seta, 20/1 Misheer, 20/1 Pollenator, 20/1 Hibaayeb, 20/1 Music Show, 20/1 Revered, 20/1 Emulous, 20/1 Tabassum, 20/1 Lady Of The Desert, 20/1 Termagant 25/1 BAR
