Turf Travels II

Newmarket Guineas Festival 2007

The first weekend in May means serious business at the Rowley Mile - Guineas Festival in Newmarket! 2007 was poised to see the next Triple Crown winner since Nijinsky, but Jim Bolger had to abandon his ambitious plans after Champion Juvenile Teofilo injured himself on the galopps. Nevertheless one Classic went to Ireland, and his yard as well, when the tough-as-teak filly Finsceal Beo stormed home to take the 1000 Guineas, a feat she tried to repleat just one week later in France in order to become the first triple 1000 Guineas winner. She failed, honourable and oh so brave in defeat, but came back to the Curragh and staked her claim as one of the toughest race-fillies in recent times.
The male version was won by an underdog - Cockney Rebel from the small George Huffer Stable, thus providing Newmarket with a much-cheered local success. Cockney Rebel too became a dual Guineas Hero when running away with the irish version on the Curragh 3 weeks later.

Echelon has to fight much harder than anticipated in the Dahlia Stakes (Gr.3) to hold Topatoo and Don´t Dili Dali:

Cockney Rebel is star of the show and wins the Guineas with something in hand from Vital Equine and Dutch Art, with Duke of Marmelade for Aidan o´Brien in fourth place. Monsieur Peslier is clearly delighted.

Guineas Hero Cockney Rebel is having a cooling drink after:

Beaver Patrol came good in the valuable Heritage Handicap, much to the delight of trainer Eve Johnson Houghton.

Salford Mills Listed success has trainer David Elsworth dreaming of Classic Glory in the Derby; the colt would go on to finish a gutsy 6th there.

Sixties Icon has won the Jockey Club Stakes:

The brilliant Finsceal Beo (in Al Eile colours!) storms home in the 1000 Guineas:

... and is returning to a true hero´s reception, with owner Michael Ryan on hand to greet his star filly
Later on, Finsceal Beo too gets her deserved drink.

Sprint King Dandy Nicholls searched his yard for some Palace House Stakes contenders, and duly found a couple in Tax Free (pictured) and old favorite Peace Offering. Having backed the latter at huge odds on the Tote, he duly came off second best to his stable mate: