Timeform bring you their reaction to the 1000 Guineas in which True Love emerged an above-average winner.
In contrast to last year, one of the bigger fields seen this century assembled for the Betfred 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday, and it was largely representative, too, three of the field winners of a Group 1 in their two-year-old season, whilst there was also a host of lightly-raced, potential improvers taking part.
Marcel Boussac winner Diamond Necklace and Rockfel winner Zanthos were the only notable absentees, and it was one of the trio who had already won at the top table who emerged on top, True Love posting one of the better winning performances in recent years. For context, True Love’s rating of 117 has only been bettered by Mawj (122), Minding (121) and Winter (120) in the past 10 years.
True Love had won the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot over five furlongs, the Railway Stakes at the Curragh and the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket over six furlongs last season, but she was an easy winner of a Group 3 over seven furlongs on her return at Leopardstown and, if anything, looked suited by the further step up in trip to a mile in the 1000 Guineas.
She tanked along in the near-side group, making eye-catching headway over two furlongs out and shaken up entering the Dip where she edged to her right, but she found plenty when meeting the rising ground, forging clear for a comfortable success.
She's done really well physically over the winter, so could have more to come as she fills her frame, and will be hard to beat if attempting to emulate Winter and Hermosa, who both went on to complete a Guineas double for this yard in the Irish equivalent.
In behind True Love there was plenty of encouragement in what may well prove a good edition of the race. The Prettiest Star (107p) and Abashiri (105P) in particular appealing as worth following.
The latter had an unconventional prep for a race of this type, her sole previous start coming when landing the odds in bloodless fashion in an all-weather maiden six months earlier, but she was strong in the betting and shaped with bags of promise amid residual greenness.
She looked a bit unbalanced in the Dip and soon after, but she’s a strong, attractive filly who is open to significant further improvement, and it would be no surprise were she to get a lot closer to the winner should they re-oppose at the Curragh or Royal Ascot.
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