Aidan O'Brien and the Rowley Mile have become somewhat synonymous over the years and, yet again this afternoon, the Ballydoyle supremo saddled another Classic winner at Newmarket.
In training 14/1 shot Hermosa to 1000 Guineas glory, O'Brien denied fellow Irish trainer Sheila Lavery of a dream Classic victory across the Irish Sea, with 11/1 shot Lady Kaya beaten into second place.
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Meanwhile, pre-race favourite Qabala - ridden by David Egan, the 19-year-old son of Irish jockey John Egan, finished third for trainer Roger Varian.
But the day belonged with the O'Brien-trained filly. Twice a runner-up at Group One level, Hermosa waited until the biggest day before producing her best performance with Wayne Lordan aboard.
"She's a beautiful filly."
Corkman @waynemlordan rides Hermosa to win his 2nd #1000Guineas in 3 years! #Newmarket pic.twitter.com/3TaIddVqC5— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) May 5, 2019
Speaking to ITV after riding his second winner in three years in the race, Lordan paid tribute to both his ride and O'Brien.
It's a big help when you're riding for Aidan [O'Brien] and you're riding horses like this.
She's a beautiful filly; she's probably by the right sire as well in Galileo - she finds plenty. It was good
It caps off a sensational weekend for the Coolmore operation after Magna Grecia delivered O'Brien a record tenth success in the 2000 Guineas yesterday.
Despite another impressive training performance for O'Brien, arguably the feel-good story of the weekend will be the run of Lady Kaya under Robbie Colgan. After taking out a training license in 2012, saddling Lady Kaya to a second-placed finish in the second Classic of the season represents a seismic rise for Lavery.
Lady Kaya ran her ❤️ out for Sheila Lavery and connections...#Guineas #emotionsrunninghigh pic.twitter.com/JupRE0PQNb
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) May 5, 2019
Hermosa is now likely to head to Epsom for the Epsom Oaks on the June Bank Holiday weekend, where O'Brien will be looking for an eighth victory in the race.
