Dettori delivers O’Brien rare 1,000 Guineas hat-trick

NEWMARKET, United Kingdom (AFP) – Frankie Dettori punched home Mother Earth to win the 1,000 Guineas for trainer Aidan O’Brien who landed Sunday’s English classic for the third-successive season.

The last time a trainer celebrated three in a row in the mile showpiece at Newmarket was George Lambton back in 1918.

All the talk in the run-up to the race had been of O’Brien’s Santa Barbara, who was sent off at 5-2 joint favourite.

But with under two furlongs to go Dettori made his move on the lesser-fancied stablemate Mother Earth and the 10-1 shot held off all challengers to supply Dettori with his fourth 1,000 at the ripe old age of 50.

“Come on the oldies, we can still do it,” the Italian said in reference to his success coming 24 hours after 54-year-old Keven Manning had won the 2,000 Guineas on Poetic Flare.

Mother Earth crossed the line one length clear of 9-1 chance Saffron Beach with Fev Rover third at 22-1 and Santa Barbara fourth.

“Aidan gave me a lot of confidence. He told me to ride her calmly and that she would come home good. I followed Ryan [Moore on-board Santa Barbara] and I kicked at the top of the hill because I knew she’d get home. And she did.”

Poetic Flare holds on for dramatic 2,000 Guineas win

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) – Poetic Flare battled to a thrilling victory in the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday, edging out Master of the Seas by a short head.

Ridden by Kevin Manning for 79-yearold trainer Jim Bolger, he emulated his sire Dawn Approach who won the season- opening Classic in 2013.

Poetic Flare, a 16/1 shot, powered into the lead late in the one-mile race and just held off Master of the Seas, with Lucky Vega a fast-finishing third.

“I thought I would win but not that it would be that close,” Manning, who is Irishman Bolger’s son-in-law, told ITV.

“Done nothing wrong this horse, really fancied him. He is a tough horse. Not sure how far he would get. Very important winning these races. They are hard to come by.”

It was Bolger’s 11th British and Irish Classic triumph and the eighth for Manning, with the duo also having teamed up for Dawn Approach’s success.

Aidan O’Brien, who had trained the winner in four of the previous six years, saw his three runners all struggle, with 9/2 favourite Battleground crossing the line in 13th under Frankie Dettori.

“That horse didn’t handle the [good to firm] ground,” Dettori said.