DUTY FIRST will attempt to give Saxon Gate our first Classic success when she takes her place in the Betfred 1000 Guineas as Newmarket on 4th May after a scintillating victory at Newbury.
Victorious Racing’s filly will be supplemented for the great race at a cost of £30,000 following her dominant display in a strong renewal of the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes, traditionally known as the Fred Darling, on Saturday 12th April.
Following her success in the hands of stable jockey Hollie Doyle, her trainer Archie Watson said: “She’ll definitely stay a mile in the 1,000 Guineas. I haven’t got her entered at Newmarket, but that’s where she’ll run. She was actually scheduled to go for the Italian Guineas, but I don’t think that’ll happen now.
“It was a very strong Fred Darling when you compare it to last year with six runners. This time there were proper Group 1 horses in there and the way she did it surprised me, but the fact she’s come on and done something like that hasn’t because she’s been in great order this spring.
“She was raw last year and we knew she’d do well physically. She’s big and from a family we know well. We trained her half-brother Army Ethos, who was second in the Coventry. We’re just delighted as Classic horses are what we all want.”
The daughter of Showcasing, who was placed in the Group 3 Prestige Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood and the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket last season, forged clear under Hollie for a three and a quarter-length victory at odds of 33-1 in a time almost half a second faster than the colts’ trial, the Greenham Stakes, on the same card.
Doyle, who rode Folgaria to win the race last season for Marco Botti, expects Duty First to come on again for a step up in distance. “She’s going to improve for a step up to a mile,” she said. “I know she was a big price but we weren’t really shocked.
“Her work at home had been pretty good and we’ve always thought quite highly of her. She probably wasn’t where she needed to be physically last season but achieved more than she should have. Hopefully this is her year.”
Archie added: “It’s not often I debut one at Newmarket, so that shows how much I thought of her last year. After she won at Ayr we went straight into Group company, so we’ve always thought a lot of her, and she’s definitely grown a lot. She’s lovely and I’m delighted for Sheikh Nasser, who should now have a filly for the Group 1 races this summer.”
Duty First, who races in the colours made famous by our star sprinter Bradsell, was bought at the Book 1 sales at Tattersalls as a yearling for 370,000gns.
By Simon Mapletoft
