OâBrien-Santa Barbara eye Qipco 1,000 Guineas glory
By Andrew Atkinson
Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O’Brien says three-year-old Santa Barbara, 7-4 favourite in the Qipco 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 2, slashed from 10-1, is ‘coming along nicely’.
O’Brien, eyeing a fifth 1,000 Guineas victory in the last six seasons, said: “Santa Barbara is doing everything very nice.
“We decided she’ll head straight to the Guineas. We’ve always thought the world of her.
“She shows a lot of speed. Being by Camelot, we’d have thought that a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half would be possible for her, but she’s showing a lot of pace and that’s why we’re looking at the Guineas. She’s going to learn a lot from racing.”
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Kameko is set for a strong debut book after Tweenhills announced that they and Qatar Racing would be sending 45 of their own mares to last year s 2,000 Guineas hero.
The dual Group 1 winner is standing for a fee of £25,000 at the Gloucestershire-based stud alongside Zoustar, Lightning Spear and Havana Gold.
Among the eyecatchers in his book is the dual Grade 1 winner Con Te Partiro, a $1.6 million private purchase by Qatar Racing at Keeneland s November Breeding Sale.
Con Te Partiro, who struck in Australia in the Coolmore Classic and Legacy Stakes for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, is a daughter of the late Scat Daddy and out of the Grade 1-placed Street Cry mare Temple Street.