WATCH FREE

Ralph Beckett on course to run three in Qipco 1,000 Guineas

By Racing TV

Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023

Remarquee and Rob Hornby land the Fred Darling (Photo: Francesca Altoft / focusonracing.com)

Saturday’s Newbury heroine Remarquee is set to be joined by stablemates Lezoo and Juliet Sierra in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket next month.

Successful in a Salisbury novice event on her sole start at two, Remarquee confirmed herself a major contender for the first fillies’ Classic of the season with an impressive comeback victory in the Group Three Dubai Duty Free Stakes – better known as the Fred Darling.

And while trainer Ralph Beckett is looking forward to seeing the daughter of Kingman line up on the Rowley Mile, he also feels it would be dangerous to overlook two other fillies trained at Kimpton Down Stables who will also line up at Newmarket in a fortnight’s time.

“We’ve still got five in it (1000 Guineas). Bluestocking won’t run, she’ll go for an Oaks trial, but Juliet Sierra will go straight for the Guineas and Lezoo will go straight there as well. Lose Yourself won’t as she’s not quite ready,” Beckett told Racing TV’s Luck on Sunday programme.

Lezoo ran out a Group One winner for Beckett last term (Photo: Mark Cranham / focusonracing.com)

Lezoo is set for a step up in trip after striking Group One gold over six furlongs in last season’s Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.

Her stablemate Juliet Sierra, previously successful in the Dick Poole at Salisbury, could finish only fifth in the Cheveley Park, but Beckett feels she is overpriced for the Guineas.

He added: “It’s a leap of faith on pedigree whether Lezoo will get a mile, but she’s a very relaxed filly, does nothing at home and she loves the Rowley Mile. It’s a shot to nothing. If she doesn’t stay, we’ll just go back sprinting.

“I never felt Juliet Sierra was a six-furlong filly – I always felt she won the Dick Poole against the curve in that sense.

“She was quite a free-running filly and we were always trying to get her to settle, which is why I didn’t step her up in trip, and I felt she got a bit lost two down in the Cheveley Park and then galloped out really well.

“I think she’s a big price for the Guineas at 50-1.”

While hopeful for his two bigger-priced runners, Remarquee has undoubtedly established herself as the trainer’s chief contender for Guineas glory, with Beckett anticipating further improvement.

He said: “I think she’ll have learnt a lot yesterday and I’ll probably put a sheepskin noseband on her next time, just to help her rider out.”

Racing TV

9.5K Videos
223.0K Subscribers
196.9M Views

RACING TV is the home of British and Irish racing, showcasing live and exclusive horse racing action from 61 of the very best racecourses in the UK and Ireland in stunning HD. Our dedicated horse racing channel was set up in 2004 by our racecourse shareholders and is dedicated to broadcasting more than 800 live race meetings a year with commentary, debate and tipping from 35 of the UK's top racecourses and all 26 Irish racecourses. All Racing TV profits are returned to its racecourse shareholders to support the sport. Racing TV goes out to over 65,000 commercial and residential subscribers. Tune in by going to Sky 424 (UK, NI, ROI), Virgin Media 536 (UK, NI), 411 (ROI). You can also watch Racing TV at racingtv.com and on the iPhone/iPad app, Android app and mobile-optimised website. Find out more about the Racing TV large screen app at www.racingtv.com/largescreenapp Followers must be 18+ and please gamble responsibly: gambleaware.org