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Approaching June each year, the early headlines of the racing season have been written – 2024 seeing shock results in many of the signature events, including 16/1 and 28/1 winners of the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket; not the best of starts for most punters but there are plenty of opportunities still to come, with the Epsom Deby meeting, the Royal Ascot Festival, and Glorious Goodwood set to light up the summer months.
The compilers may have won the opening exchanges, but form students around the country are already busily plotting their revenge, with two of the most scrutinised races being the aforementioned 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas.
The winners may have been tough to find on the day, but the history books suggest that the headline acts at HQ are regularly two of the most informative contests for those looking to unearth future winners.
With all of the above in mind, we look back at the 2022 and 2023 runnings of the 1,000 Guineas, picking out those contenders who weren’t quite good enough on the day but rewarded supporters later in their three-year-old season.
2023
First we’ll examine those who missed out in 2023.
Tahiyra
- 1,000 Guineas Finishing Position – 2nd
- Trainer – Dermot Weld
- Sire – Siyouni
Arriving at Newmarket following an interrupted preparation, Tahiyra was expected to improve for the run. As such, the Dermot Weld filly ran a mighty race to go down by just half a length to Mawj – only giving her best close home as a lack of fitness took its toll. Going in the famous Aga Khan silks, Tahiyra wasted little time bouncing back – landing the Group 1 trio of the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the Coronation Stakes and the Matron Stakes before the season was out.
Matilda Picotte
- 1,000 Guineas Finishing Position – 3rd
- Trainer – Kieran P Cotter
- Sire – Sioux Nation
33/1 shot Matilda Picotte made a bold bid for Guineas glory – blazing a trail out in front, only for her stamina to run out inside the final furlong as she faded into an honourable third. Being by strong speed influence Sioux Nation, the lack of staying power for a mile wasn’t the biggest surprise, and the filly rebounded with back-to-back seven-furlong wins in the Group 3 Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes and Group 2 Challenge Stakes in the autumn.
Olivia Maralda
- 1,000 Guineas Finishing Position – 7th
- Trainer – Roger Varian
- Sire – Kodiac
Another speedily bred sort, Olivia Maralda ran a similar race to Matilda Picotte at Newmarket – travelling up with pace before weakening into seventh close home. Connections took the hint when dropping the filly down to seven furlongs for her next start in the Listed Surrey Stakes at the Epsom Derby meeting, which she promptly landed by two and a half lengths.
Lezoo
- 1,000 Guineas Finishing Position – 8th
- Trainer – Ralph Beckett
- Sire – Zoustar
A definite theme emerges when looking back at the 2023 edition of the race, namely that of fillies unable to see out the mile but more than capable of making their presence felt when dropped in trip and class. Continuing that trend is Lezoo. Having faded out of contention on her big day, she then flopped in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. However, stepping down to Listed level for Newmarket’s Hopeful Stakes worked the oracle as she got up late to deny Emaraaty Ana.
Naomi Lapaglia
- 1,000 Guineas Finishing Position – 17th
- Trainer – Richard Spencer
- Sire – Awtaad
Being by Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Awtaad, Naomi Lapaglia boasted more appeal on pedigree than others on this list. However, it soon became clear that she fell below the required standard on the day – as odds of 80/1 suggested she might. Nevertheless, the filly did find her way to the Winner’s Enclosure when landing a Class 2 handicap back at Newmarket in July.
2022
So we’ll step back a further year in time to see what came of the 2022 also-rans.
Prosperous Voyage
- 1,000 Guineas Finishing Position – 2nd
- Trainer – Ralph Beckett
- Sire – Zoffany
Winning only one of her six juvenile starts, Prosperous Voyage came close to causing an almighty shock in the 1,000 Guineas – staying on dourly to lose out by just a neck at the line. That effort suggested a Group 1 victory was well within her reach, and a top-level success duly arrived when she mastered 1/7 shot Inspiral in the Falmouth Stakes on the July Course – rewarding backers with a 16/1 payout.
Tuesday
- 1,000 Guineas Finishing Position – 3rd
- Trainer – Aidan O’Brien
- Sire – Galileo
Third in the Guineas, trained by Aidan O’Brien, and sired by Galileo, Tuesday had everything in her favour to build on her Newmarket showing. Just over a month later, she did just that to hold off Emily Upjohn by a short head in a thrilling edition of the Epsom Oaks. Four defeats followed, but Tuesday rounded off her campaign in fine style with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Sandrine
- 1,000 Guineas Finishing Position – 5th
- Trainer – Andrew Balding
- Sire – Bobby’s Kitten
Outrunning her 25/1 odds to finish an eye-catching fifth at Newmarket, Sandrine came up short in two subsequent outings in Group 1 company but bounced back to record a minor 12/1 upset when denying Frankie Dettori and Kinross in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
Tenebrism
- 1,000 Guineas Finishing Position – 8th
- Trainer – Aidan O’Brien
- Sire – Caravaggio
Despite being unraced beyond six furlongs and sired by superstar sprinter Caravaggio, Tenebrism started as the 11/4 favourite for the 1,000 Guineas, only to, somewhat predictably, weaken inside the final furlong. She never did manage to win over a mile but showed an excellent finishing burst to claim Group 1 gold in the seven-furlong Prix Jean Prat.
Juncture
- 1,000 Guineas Finishing Position – 12th
- Trainer – Ger Lyons
- Sire – Dark Angel
The winners keep on coming as we head to the foot of the 2022 finishing positions. Juncture beat only one home at Newmarket but found her level when landing the Listed class Cooley Fillies’ Stakes at Dundalk on her final start at three.