Empress Josephine produced a relentless late charge to beat stablemate Joan Of Arc to victory in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
The famous two-day Irish Guineas Festival is held each year in late May at the Curragh Racecourse; located in between Newbridge and Kildare in County Kildare only 43km south east of Dublin city centre. The Irish 1,000 Guineas is the second Irish Classic of the season
The Irish 1,000 Guineas is shaping up to be a battle between father and son trainers. Aidan O’Brien will saddle three in the one-mile classic; including the improving Joan of Arc, who won the Irish 1,000 Guineas Trial (G3) two weeks ago. Longshots Empress of Josephine and Friendly also represent O’Brien in the entries.
Empress Josephine was a 14/1 chance off the back of finishing second in a Listed contest at Gowran Park on her latest appearance; and tracked 15/8 favourite Pretty Gorgeous for much of the way.
Watch Empress Josephine at the Irish 1,000 Guineas Race
The fillies’ equivalent to the Irish 2,000 Guineas; the Irish 1,000 Guineas is shaping up to be a battle between father and son trainers. Aidan O’Brien will saddle three in the one-mile classic, including the improving Joan of Arc, who won the Irish 1,000 Guineas Trial (G3) two weeks ago. Longshots Empress of Josephine and Friendly also represent O’Brien in the entries.
But Aidan O’Brien’s son Joseph arguably holds a stronger hand with his trio of fillies. Pretty Gorgeous was among the most accomplished juveniles of 2020; cracking the exacta in all five of her starts while ending the season with a triumph in the Fillies’ Mile (G1) at Newmarket. Pretty Gorgeous will be joined at the Curragh by stablemates Thinking of You and Sense of Style; third and sixth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas Trial.
O’Brien trainees
Outside of the O’Brien trainees, key contenders in the Irish 1,000 Guineas include Fev Rover; who finished third in England’s 1,000 Guineas (G1), and Miss Amulet, whom American racing fans will recall from her third-place effort in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).
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