The Classic 1000 Guineas – How History Helps to Find Winners
The first two classics of the flat racing season are the 1000 and 2000 Guineas. They take place at the home of British flat-racing, Newmarket, on the Rowley Mile course during the last weekend in April or, more commonly, the first weekend in May.
Raced over a mile, the 1000 Guineas is restricted to three-year-old fillies. It takes place on Sunday, the day after the 2000 Guineas – its counterpart for colts over the same course and distance. The race receives substantial TV coverage on mainstream terrestrial channels and specialist broadcasters and is one of the sports betting markets punters love.
Ryan Moore celebrates after winning his second 1000 Guineas aboard Legatissimo in 2015. ©GettyImages
1000 Guineas winners used to be easy to find. A filly with Group-1 race-winning form as a two-year-old – preferably at Newmarket – normally took the prize. However, the trends have changed. If betting on the 1000 Guineas, be warned, this is no longer an easy jigsaw puzzle to piece together.
The Best 1000 Guineas Form Pointers
1000 Guineas winners do not always hail from the sport’s major stables. Some small yards have tasted success in the classic defying big odds. But fillies with form in major two-year-old Group races still provide the best form indicators.
French-trained fillies have a great record in this race winning it three times since 2008. But Ireland’s Aidan O’Brien has enjoyed a bumper 1000 Guineas harvest. He landed the race five times in a golden six-year spell between 2016 and 2021.
The key trail races which have been fruitful in pinpointing 1000 Guineas winners are:
- The Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh
- The Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at The Curragh
- The Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp
- The Debutante Stakes at The Curragh
- The Fillies Mile at Newmarket
- The Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket
- The May Hill Stakes at Doncaster
What Should I Consider When Betting on the 1000 Guineas?
As is the case with the 2000 Guineas, the 1000 Guineas often attracts a big field, and runners can split into two groups during the 96 seconds this contest normally takes to run. Overall, fillies drawn middle-to-low have had better results in the race in recent times.
Unlike the 2000 Guineas, the historical stats indicate the lack of a prep-run is no hindrance to 1000 Guineas contenders. It has become fashionable to contest – and often win – this race with a filly that is making its three-year-old seasonal debut.
It is also worth considering every winner since Special Duty in 2010 had raced over a mile trip before contesting the 1000 Guineas. Interestingly the principal 1000 Guineas trial for three-year-olds is Newmarket’s Nell Gwyn Stakes. It is raced over just seven furlongs. Cachet (2020) and Speciosa (2006) are the most recent winners of both races.
The Two-Year-Old Achievements of Previous 1000 Guineas Winners
| Year | Horse | Achievements |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Cachet | Won only the first of eight starts but twice Group-race placed |
| 2021 | Mother Earth | A single win from eight starts at two, but twice Group-1 placed |
| 2020 | Love | Three wins from seven starts at two, including a Group-1 and Group-3 |
| 2019 | Hermosa | Twice Group-1 runner-up in, and twice a winner from seven starts |
| 2018 | Billesdon Brook | Won a novice stake, nursery, and Group-3 from eight starts at two |
| 2017 | Winter | Won a Dundalk maiden on her third and final start as a two-year-old |
| 2016 | Minding | Group-1 winner as a two-year-old at Newmarket |
| 2015 | Legatissimo | Listed race winner as a two-year-old in Gowran Park |
| 2014 | Miss France | Group-3 winner as a two-year-old at Newmarket |
| 2013 | Sky Lantern | Group-1 winner as a two-year-old, Group-1 placed at Newmarket |
| 2012 | Homecoming Queen | Raced 11 times at two, beaten first seven starts, just two wins |
| 2011 | Blue Bunting | Listed race winner as a two-year-old at Newmarket |
| 2010 | Special Duty | Group-1 winner as a two-year-old at Newmarket |
| 2009 | Ghanaati | Twice raced at two, winning a maiden on her second start |
| 2008 | Natagora | Group-1 winner as a two-year-old at Newmarket |
| 2007 | Finsceal Beo | Group-1 winner as a two-year-old at Newmarket |
| 2006 | Speciosa | Twice a Group-2 winner at Newmarket |
| 2005 | Virginia Waters | One win and listed placed from four starts at the Curragh |
| 2004 | Attraction | Group-2 Newmarket winner, unbeaten in five starts at two |
| 2003 | Russian Rhythm | Group-1 runner-up at Newmarket |
Backing favourites in the 1000 Guineas, appears to be a shortcut to the poor house. There have been just two winning favorites during the past 15 years. Minding was 11/10 in 2016. And Special Duty made the 1000 Guineas winners list at odds of 9/2. Remarkably, she was still the betting favorite.
Almost half of the 1000 Guineas winners of recent times have started 14/1 or greater. At odds of 66/1, the 2018 winner, Billesdon Brook was the biggest-ever priced winner. The 1840 winner, Crucifix, started the shortest at odds of 1/10.
Who Are the 1000 Guineas Record Setters
The 1000 Guineas winners list shows George Fordham is the most successful 1000 Guineas jockey of all time. Born in Newmarket, the 13-time Champion Jockey won the race seven times. Since World War II the retired Kieren Fallon and Frankie Dettori won the race four times apiece.
Ryan Moore has also ridden four 1000 Guineas winners. With age on his side and the powerful Aidan O’Brien stable supporting him, it must be considered possible the multiple classic winning rider may eventually match or surpass Fordham’s record.
Previous 1000 Guineas Winners including Trainer, Jockey, and Starting Price
The table below outlines some of the more recent winners of the 1000 Guineas, including the winning jockey, trainer and their starting price:
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Cachet | James Doyle | George Boughey | 16/1 |
| 2021 | Mother Earth | Frankie Dettori | Aidan O’Brien | 10/1 |
| 2020 | Love | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | 4/1 |
| 2019 | Hermosa | Wayne Lordan | Aidan O’Brien | 14/1 |
| 2018 | Billesdon Brook | Sean Levey | Richard Hannon | 66/1 |
| 2017 | Winter | Wayne Lordan | Aidan O’Brien | 9/1 |
| 2016 | Minding | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | 11/10 |
| 2015 | Legatissimo | Ryan Moore | David Wachman | 13/2 |
| 2014 | Miss France | Maxime Guyon | Andre Fabre | 7/1 |
| 2013 | Sky Lantern | Richard Hughes | Richard Hannon Snr | 9/1 |
| 2012 | Homecoming Queen | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | 25/1 |
| 2011 | Blue Bunting | Frankie Dettori | Mahmood Al Zarooni | 16/1 |
| 2010 | Special Duty | Stéphane Pasquier | Criquette Head-Maarek | 9/2 |
| 2009 | Ghanaati | Richard Hills | Barry Hills | 20/1 |
Robert Robson heads the 1000 Guineas winners list for trainers. Based in Newmarket, he won the race nine times in ten years between 1818 and 1827. Aidan O’Brien is chasing that record. The Irishman has taken the race seven times since Virgina Waters gave him his first winner in 2005.
Most of the UK’s powerhouse stables have provided a 1000 Guineas winner or more since the 1970s. Henry Cecil won the race six times. Sir Michael Stoute has won the 1000 Guineas twice. Surprisingly, John Gosden has only won the race once during his training career.
Nothing Has Stopped the 1000 Guineas
Unlike many other major races in the UK, the 1000 Guineas has only ever taken place at its home track. Furthermore, the race was not interrupted by a World War or postponed due to poor weather conditions.
The 1000 Guineas’ name comes from the prize on offer for the first edition of the race in 1814. A Guinea did and still does, equate to £1.05. But the prize has increased over the years, and from 2016 1000 Guineas winners have received a share of a £500,000 purse.
The Oaks staged at Epsom in June and over one-mile four-furlongs, is the second leg of the fillies’ Triple Crown. Many fillies completed the double before the war. But in recent decades it has become a rare achievement.
1985 1000 Guineas winner, Oh So Sharp completed the fillies’ Triple Crown by beating the colts in the St. Leger at Doncaster. She was the first horse to win all three races since Meld in 1955. The feat has not been repeated since, and only five horses have subsequently added the Oaks to their 1000 Guineas success.
Other fillies to complete the 1000 Guineas / Oaks double are Midway Lady (1986), Salsabil (1990), Kazzia (2002), Minding (2016) and Love in 2020.
1000 Guineas Winners Produce Big Winners
Finally, as a source of champion racehorses in the breeding paddocks, 1990 Oaks winner, Wince, produced the Group-1 winner, Quiff. Kazzia, the 2002 winner, delivered Group-1 Dubai Sheema Classic winner, Eastern Anthem.
Attraction, the 2004 1000 Guineas winner, produced Elarqam, who fetched 1.6 million guineas at auction and won twice at Listed level and twice in Group race company. Homecoming Queen produced Shale who won the 2018 Group-1 Moyglare Stud Stakes six years after her mother won the Oaks.
Sky Lantern, who won the 2012 Moyglare Stud Stakes before taking the following season’s 1000 Guineas, produced Snow Lantern. This daughter of Frankel landed the 2021 Group-1 Falmouth Stakes.
