Ryan Moore guides Aidan O’Brien’s Minding to Fillies’ Mile

5-4 favourite wins at Newmarket while Gleneagles could feature at Ascot on Saturday week

Ryan Moore and Minding pull clear in the Dubai Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket. Photograph: PA
Ryan Moore and Minding pull clear in the Dubai Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket. Photograph: PA

Aidan O'Brien's Minding claimed her second Group One prize of the season with a brilliant display in the Dubai Fillies' Mile at Newmarket.

The daughter of Galileo caused something of an upset when getting the better of stable companion Ballydoyle in last month's Moyglare Stud Stakes, form well advertised in Paris last weekend as Ballydoyle went one better in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp.

With Ryan Moore on her back, Minding was the 5-4 favourite for her Rowley Mile assignment and was always travelling well towards the stands side.

Once asked to extend, the response was hugely impressive as the daughter of Galileo found an extra gear to power through the line four and a half lengths clear.

READ MORE

The previously unbeaten Nathra filled the runner-up spot, with Hawksmoor just denying O’Brien’s second string Coolmore third place.

Moore said: “She’s a truly exceptional filly, she travelled so easily the whole way. As soon as I pulled her out, she was gone.

“She has an unbelievable mind and went down to the start so well, she has plenty of pace, she can stay at a mile but I’m sure with her temperament it will allow her to stay further.

“I couldn’t have been more impressed by her.”

O’Brien said: “She’s a lovely filly. She travels and quickens and has always shown she’s a very high-class filly.”

Reflecting on her defeat of Ballydoyle, the trainer said: “We knew it was very possible (she could beat Ballydoyle). She had a break before she went to the Debutante, that was her first run back and we knew she’d handle an ease in the ground better than Ballydoyle.

“One filly (Ballydoyle) handles good ground very well and the other filly (Minding) handles an ease very well. They’re both very high-class fillies.

“I was listening to Joseph (O’Brien) and Ryan talking before the race and Joseph described this filly to Ryan as an Irish Guineas/Pretty Polly filly.”

O'Brien also has his fingers crossed dry weather will hold so he can run Gleneagles in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday week.

The Ballydoyle trainer is keen to let the leading three-year-old miler take his chance after being frustrated by unsuitable ground on three occasions since the star colt’s victory in the St James’s Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting.

Since then the dual 2000 Guineas hero has been a late withdrawal from the Sussex Stakes, Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes.

“Hopefully if the forecast is right and the week is good and he’s well through the middle of the week, there’s every chance (he will run) and we’d look forward to it,” said O’Brien.

“It’s been hard on him as he’s been peaked three or four times and hasn’t got to run, but he seems in good form.”

O’Brien has not ruled out Found making a quick reappearance on Champions Day after she was beaten five lengths when ninth to Golden Horn in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“It’s possible she could go to Ascot,” he said.

“She’s in good form and came out of the Arc well. She didn’t have much of a race really — she went to the line on the bridle.

“She’ll do a couple of bits of work this week and if everybody’s happy, she might go to Ascot next weekend.”

Found holds entries in the Qipco British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes the Qipco Champion Stakes.