Love (4/1) was a highly impressive winner of the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket under Ryan Moore on Sunday, giving her trainer Aidan O’Brien his sixth victory in the Group 1.
The daughter of Galileo, the only O’Brien-trained representative in the fillies’ one-mile classic, showed a devastating turn of foot in the closing stages of the race to claim a comfortable victory.
Love, a fourth victory in the race for her sire, following the successes of Minding (2016), Winter (2017) and Hermosa (2019), was also Aidan O’Brien’s fourth win in the past five runnings of the race.
Racing in the centre of the Rowley Mile track, Love and Ryan Moore, who were well placed throughout the race, took the lead at the furlong pole. The favourite Quadrilateral (11/4f) came under pressure on her inside, as big market outsider Final Song (100/1), one off the rail, battled away with Cloak Of Spirits (12/1), who held the rail.
Love then turned on the power to leave her rival in her wake, winning by four and a quarter lengths from Cloak Of Spirits, who held off Quadrilateral for the runner-up spot by a head, with a length further back to Final Song in fourth.
Winning rider, Ryan Moore, was very impressed with his 4th Qipco 1000 Guineas winner, stating:
“She’s very uncomplicated, a typical Galileo. She was in control from a long way out and won as she liked. I don’t know her plans but it’s possible she will stay the Oaks trip.”
Her trainer, Aidan O’Brien, later confirmed post-race that Love, winner of last season’s Moyglare Stud Stakes during Longines Irish Champions Weekend, will now likely go for the Investec Oaks over 1m 4f at Epsom next month.
