Both undefeated, Desert Flower, Lake Victoria square off in English 1000 Guineas

There was no need for photo finishes last year when Desert Flower won all four of her starts in England, ending with the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket in October.

Equally as impressive, Lake Victoria was undefeated in five starts in Ireland, England, and the United States, in a campaign that concluded in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar in November.

At least one of them will lose an unbeaten record when they have their first starts of 2025 in Sunday’s Group 1 English 1000 Guineas at a mile at Newmarket Racecourse.

Both Desert Flower, trained by Charlie Appleby, and Lake Victoria, trained by Aidan O’Brien, know Newmarket well.

Desert Flower, owned by Godolphin Racing, raced over the same course as the 1000 Guineas in the Fillies’ Mile, winning by a convincing 5 1/2 lengths over the O’Brien-trained January, a stakes winner.

Appleby told Godolphin.com this week that Desert Flower has been “faultless all winter.”

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“She has hit every target we have set for her at home and we are heading into this full of confidence,” he said.

Lake Victoria, owned by the Coolmore syndicate, won the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at six furlongs at Newmarket last September.

In the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf, Lake Victoria performed as expected, winning by 1 1/2 lengths as the 7-10 favorite despite early traffic issues.

“We thought she was very good, and she is,” O’Brien said in the post-race press conference. “She’s very classy, isn’t she?”

Both Desert Flower, who will be ridden by William Buick, and Lake Victoria, the mount of Ryan Moore, are tactical runners. They have raced near the front or slightly off the pace.

In early betting for the $729,900 English 1000 Guineas, Desert Flower was the 6-5 favorite with British bookmakers on Friday, while Lake Victoria was 3-1.

The 1000 Guineas, which has a post time of 10:35 a.m. Eastern, drew a field of nine and is part of a seven-race program that begins at 8:45 a.m.

There is a possibility, though remote, that both Desert Flower and Lake Victoria are beaten Sunday.

There will be support for the lightly raced Red Letter, who has not started since she finished a troubled fourth by 1 1/2 lengths behind Lake Victoria in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at seven furlongs at The Curragh in Ireland last September.

Red Letter, trained by Ger Lyons, raced in traffic with a furlong remaining and was beaten a short head for third.

The 1000 Guineas will be the Group 1 debut for Duty First, who recorded a 33-1 upset with a victory by 3 1/4 lengths in the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes at seven furlongs on April 12 at Newbury Racecourse in her first start of the year for trainer Archie Watson.

Duty First, fourth behind Desert Flower in a maiden race last July in her debut, will be ridden by Hollie Doyle and is quick enough to set the pace.

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