Russian Rhythm proved her doubters wrong with a convincing victory over Six Perfections and Intercontinental in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, England.
Russian Rhythm showed none of the lethargy she had displayed in her morning works before the one-mile fillies classic. Kieren Fallon brought her from 18th place to the lead at the furlong pole, and Russian Rhythm gave trainer Michael Stoute his second 1000 Guineas title, the first having come with Musical Bliss in 1989.
Refuse to Bend kept his undefeated record intact and gave trainer Dermot Weld his first triumph in the 2000 Guineas Saturday. Never far away under Pat Smullen, Refuse to Bend led at the eighth pole and held off the late rush of the 33-1 Zafeen by three-quarters of a length. Sent off at 9-2, Refuse to Bend ran the mile in 1:37.98 on good ground. The 100-1 Norse Dancer was third, a head behind Zafeen.
Refuse to Bend, a son of Sadler's Wells owned by Moyglare Stud Farm, will likely run in the Epsom Derby on June 7.
Refuse to Bend became the ninth Irish-trained winner in the long history of the 2000 Guineas - first run in 1809 - with a workmanlike victory over Zafeen and the 100-1 Norse Dancer at Newmarket on Saturday.
Refuse to Bend is unbeaten in four races and looks likely to start as the favorite for the Epsom Derby on June 7.
A pair of talented French fillies can dominate the 190th running of Sunday's 1000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket.
Six Perfections, trained for the Niarchos Family by Pascal Bary, and Intercontinental, trained by Andre Fabre for Khalid Abdullah, are the deserving favorites for the one-mile fillies classic, worth $515,000.
Hold That Tiger will be joined by stablemate Tomahawk in the $515,000 2000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday as trainer Aidan O'Brien seeks a repeat of his one-two finish with Rock of Gibraltar and Hawk Wing in last year's one-mile classic.
Hold That Tiger, who went from last to first to take the Grand Criterium in October over last Sunday's Italian 2000 Guineas winner Le Vie dei Colori, is the favorite at about 2-1 for this year's Guineas, while Tomahawk, an unlucky but fast-closing fourth in the Prix de Fontainebleau at Longchamp April 20, is 12-1.
Godolphin will have its first runner of the year outside of the UAE on Friday when Highest contests the 1 1/2-mile, Group 2 Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket.
Frankie Dettori will ride Highest, a 4-year-old son of Selkirk who finished seventh behind Sulamani in the Dubai Sheema Classic on March 29. Before that he won the Group 3 Dubai City of Gold on March 8. Bandari, winner of the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes last August, will be difficult to turn back, even though he is making his seasonal debut. He is trained by Mark Johnston.
Domedriver, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Mile, will make his 5-year-old debut in the one-mile Group 2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud on Thursday.
Trained by Pascal Bary, Domedriver will face nine opponents, to whom he must spot seven to 10 pounds as the lone Group or Grade 1 winner in the field. Chief among his rivals are Group 3 winners Bernebeau, Special Kaldoun, and Zarewitsch, although Dandoun, winner of the listed Doncaster Mile the last two years, poses a threat.
Luvah Girl, Team Valor's big hope for Sunday's 1000 Guineas, suffered a severe head injury on the Lambourn gallops Sunday and will not race again. A 3-year-old British-bred daughter of Alzao, Luvah Girl was preparing for her date in the Newmarket fillies classic when she flipped over backward and struck her head. "She suffered a swelling on the brain and will not race again," trainer Roger Charlton said Tuesday. "It's a terrible tragedy."
Barry Irwin of Team Valor said, "We're hoping we can save her for breeding."
Eishin Preston scored a repeat victory in the $1.8 million Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on Sunday, rewarding his many backers to the tune of 7-5.
Eishin Preston, a Japanese invader trained by Shuji Kitahashi, had been winless in six starts since taking last year's event. His liking for Sha Tin's right-handed oval has always been evident, however, as he had also won the Hong Kong Mile here in 2001.