O’Brien Has Longshot To Spring 1000 Guineas Surprise

We’ve seen some big priced winners at the Punchestown Festival this week but it is probably only around a 33/1 shot that Aidan O’Brien can manage to win all five Classics this season in England.

It’s a much harder task than it sounds but if anyone is going to do it it’ll be him.

Clean Sweep
Whatever about claiming all five, O’Brien will have three runners in Sunday’s 1,000 Guineas (3.40) and Minding is the current 5/4 market leader.

Stable companion Ballydoyle (9/2) is alongside Lumiere (5/1), but this isn’t actually a race that O’Brien has a great record in.

So far in his career he has won it just twice which is modest by his own extremely high standards.

Both of those wins have come with big priced winners Virginia Waters and Homecoming Queen. As well as being unheralded in the betting, both of O’Brien’s previous 1,000 Guineas winners came in with an unusual profile of having plenty of runs under their belt and none of which were overly inspiring.

Both fillies also had a run in the season prior to going to Newmarket and I wouldn’t be surprised if something similar happens again with Alice Springs on Sunday.

Second in the Juvenile Fillies Turf at the Breeders’ Cup last October, Alice Springs is a 16/1 chance that is worth strong consideration.

*Prices correct at time of publication.