Special ready for classic duty
Winter favourite for the Classic, the filly was beaten on her return to action this year in the Prix Imprudence but came through her final gallop with flying colours on Tuesday morning.
While Head-Maarek has no doubts that her charge will improve significantly from that performance – indeed her last 1000 Guineas winner Hatoof lost in the same race – she does confess to being unsure whether Prince Khalid Abdullah’s three-year-old will see out the trip.
“She did a mile with a lead horse and she went very well. I was pleased with the work, she looks well physically and she’s done well,” said Head-Maarek.
“Stephane Pasquier was on board and he was pleased with her. She waited behind the lead horse until they came into the straight and she went nice. They went a mile round the turn.
“Good horses lose their prep races all the time but they are still good horses, the question mark will be the distance.”
Another to put the finishing touches to her preparations was Mick Channon’s Music Show.
Champion jockey Ryan Moore was at Channon’s yard to get himself acquainted with his big-race mount as the Nell Gwyn winner worked with three others over seven furlongs.
“That was just what I wanted to see,” said Channon.
“Everything went good. Ryan sat on her for the first time and was very pleased with the filly.
“She was very strong in the work, sitting in behind and arriving late. I can’t pre-judge anything, but I really couldn’t be happier with Music Show.
“She’s in great nick and in the form of her life. While she’ll be even better in a month’s time, I’m more than hopeful she’ll be good enough on Sunday.”
Music Show has won four of her five starts, with her only defeat coming up at Ayr.
“She got stuck in the mud at Ayr,” Channon told his website, www.mickchannon.tv.
“That’s not her ground. They’re saying Seta wants a bog and that’s fine by me.
“As far as our filly is concerned, everything is spot-on.”
Moore was also satisfied with his big-race mount, saying: “She is a nice filly and I was happy with her this morning.”
Richard Hills was successful on Ghanaati 12 months ago and believes he has a good chance of following up on Marcus Tregoning’s Feilden Stakes winner Rumoush.
“She really is a big girl. We’ve had a hard winter and at this time of year a lot of the fillies still haven’t come in their coats whereas she has probably got her summer coat which is a big plus and I think she is a filly that is thriving.
“Obviously we are coming back a furlong so we know she will get the trip, she’s a proper galloper.
StanJames.com 1000 Guineas – sponsors bet: 7-2 Special Duty, 6-1 Music Show, Seta, 7-1 Rumoush, 14-1 Pollenator, 16-1 bar.
