True Love hands O'Brien eighth 1,000 Guineas win

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• Published1 hour ago

True Love claimed an impressive victory in the 1,000 Guineas to hand Irish trainer Aidan O'Brian an eighth winner in the fillies' Classic at Newmarket.

The 5-1 chance pulled away in the final furlong of the one-mile race to give jockey Wayne Lordan a third win, following victories on Winter (2017) and Hermosa (2019).

Lordan expertly plotted a path from the nearside rails to hit the front in the centre of the 19-strong field before finishing one and three quarter lengths clear of Evolutionist (16-1) in second place.

Venetian Lace sealed third place at 33-1 while 9-5 pre-race favourite Precise - another O'Brien runner - finished well down in seventh.

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"Stepping up to the mile was a little bit of a question mark for her because she is a filly with loads of pace, but I got into a nice position and she settled really well - then it was just a matter of time before letting her move forward," Lordan told ITV Sport.

"She's got everything about her. She is progressing all the time."

Owner and breeder Michael Tabor admitted that O'Brien had his doubts about True Love's stamina, but that he "inspired him" to give the 1,000 Guineas a shot.

"I am speechless, I am not going to say a word," said Tabor, after True Love's impressive victory in the 213th running of the Classic.

"This morning, speaking to him [O'Brien], he wasn't over confident to say the least, either about True Love or Precise.

"We thought there was a doubt about True Love getting the trip... but year in, year out he [O'Brien] produces the goods."

Precise had all the backing before the race after winning four of her five juvenile starts, including the Fillies' Mile over the course and distance, but she was never in the running on the far side of the course.

But True Love, also a Group One-winning two-year-old at Newmarket in the Cheveley Park Stakes, produced the goods for O'Brien's Ballydoyle stable.

The Irish trainer said: "You couldn't be sure she was going to get a mile, she's a Queen Mary winner and it's very unusual for a Queen Mary winner to get a mile.

"But Wayne gave her a beautiful ride."

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