Lake Victoria back to her brilliant best in Irish 1,000 Guineas

Lake Victoria showed her true colours to glide to an impressive triumph in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.

The 10-11 favourite in the hands of Ryan Moore, Aidan O’Brien’s filly was unbeaten at two when taking a trio of Group One events over distances ranging from six furlongs to a mile, including at the Breeders’ Cup.

She returned at a mile in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, but connections were not far wrong when they said her preparation had been hurried and she was eventually sixth of 10 runners on the Rowley Mile.

That run clearly brought her along perfectly for the Irish equivalent, and after racing happily on the rail she accelerated away neatly when asked at the two-furlong pole and was a comfortable two-and-a-quarter-length winner from Adrian Murray’s 50-1 shot California Dreamer.

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Aidan O’Brien

“All the people around her have done an incredible job with her. She was only ready to start going to Newmarket. We were going to come here first time, but the way it worked she went there,” said O’Brien.

“We thought she ran an incredible race (at Newmarket) in the circumstances. Ryan looked after her and was over the moon with her.

“Everything went well (from there), it doesn’t always go right but everything went great since Newmarket and her work was out of this world.

“We never had a filly that could win a Group One over six, seven and a mile before as a two-year-old.

“She went to Newmarket getting ready for a racecourse gallop and was beaten only a length or two in the Guineas. She has all the speed in the world, she travels and does everything.

“Ryan gave her an incredible ride. He had her in a perfect position and when he had to make a gap he was able to make a gap. When he asked her to quicken the last furlong she really did for him.”

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It is likely the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot now awaits the filly.

“The plan was to come here and go to the Coronation, that’s always been the plan for her. Obviously the lads will decide that, but I’d imagine if everything is well and everyone is happy that’s where she will go.

“Ryan had a big smile, I haven’t seen him smile like that for a long time! He had her in the perfect position, but he still had to make a hole. We couldn’t be happier with her. The ground was beautiful and everything worked lovely for her.”

Paddy Power and Betfair went 13-8 for the Coronation Stakes, with Coral 5-4.

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