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Eighteen fillies set for One Thousand Guineas A total of 18 fillies have stood their ground at the final declaration stage for the second classic of the season, the £400,000 One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1), run over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket on Sunday. Currently heading the market at 7-2 with sponsor Stan James is SPECIAL DUTY (Hennessy), who will bid to give French handler Criquette Head-Maarek her fourth success in the classic following the victories of Ma Biche (1983), Ravinella (1988) and Hatoof (1992). The Khalid Abdulla-owned filly proved her ability last season with victory in the Cheveley Park S. (Eng-G1) over six furlongs at Newmarket, when she had MISHEER (Oasis Dream [GB]) back in second, but suffered a reversal on her reappearance when third in the Prix Imprudence (Fr-G3) at Maisons-Laffitte on April 8. It could potentially be a tremendous weekend for the Dunlop family at Newmarket, with John Dunlop saddling Elusive Pimpernel (Elusive Quality) in Saturday's Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) and his son Ed set to be represented by HABAAYIB (Royal Applause [GB]) in the One Thousand Guineas. The filly won the Albany S. (Eng-G3) at Royal Ascot last season and made a pleasing seasonal reappearance when a neck second to PUFF (Camacho) in the seven-furlong Fred Darling S. (Eng-G3) at Newbury on April 17. "We decided to run her in the StanJames.com One Thousand Guineas because there are only a few options for a filly that has won a Group race as a juvenile and she ran very well in her trial at Newbury," Ed Dunlop said Thursday morning. "We don't know whether she stays a mile but we can but try. She seems in good form -- she did her first and only bit of work since Newbury this morning and we were pleased. "We will take a chance with her on Sunday and see how we go." Habaayib's owner, Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, is also set to be represented by the Marcus Tregoning-trained RUMOUSH (Rahy), who was successful in the Feilden S. over nine furlongs at Newmarket on April 14. Mick Channon has yet to taste victory in a Classic but has a live contender in this year's One Thousand Guineas with MUSIC SHOW (Noverre), who advertised her credentials with victory over BLUE MAIDEN (Medicean) in the Nell Gwyn S. (Eng-G3) at Newmarket on April 14. She was ridden by Kieren Fallon that day, but the Irishman has opted to ride the Luca Cumani-trained SETA (Pivotal), meaning that Music Show will be partnered by champion jockey Ryan Moore on Sunday. Two challengers make the trip over from Ireland, with Aidan O'Brien represented by DEVOTED TO YOU (Danehill Dancer) and Jim Bolger set to run GILE NA GREINE (Galileo [Ire]) while the winning-most current trainer in the One Thousand Guineas, Henry Cecil, seeks a seventh triumph with JACQUELINE QUEST (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]). Godolphin, the Maktoum family's racing operation, run HIBAAYEB (Singspiel [Ire]), who won the Fillies' Mile (Eng-G1) at Ascot last season when trained by Clive Brittain. Second in that race was LADY DARSHAAN (High Chaparral [Ire]), trained by Stan Moore. POLLENATOR (Motivator) runs in the colors of the Royal Ascot Racing Club and got the better of Hibaayeb when last seen out in the May Hill S. (Eng-G2) at Doncaster in September. Also set to line up on Sunday are DISTINCTIVE (Tobougg [Ire]), NURTURE (Bachelor Duke), PIPETTE (Pivotal) and SENT FROM HEAVEN (Footstepsinthesand).
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