jamesp i am not looking for confrontation, especially with you but, i can't get my head round, why a maiden winner runs below it's best when just getting touched off in a group 2, it surely must have improved a bundle from its' first run. just asking. cheers.

Does that mean all the other 2 year olds Seta raced against had finished growing then?

I'm not a fan of horses that are tipped to reverse form for whatever reason when not in handicaps and their respective weights don't play a part. I don't like it cos I'm not a fan of guessing. For the most part I like to back the horse that won last time out because they tend to be better value and just as often as the previous form is reversed the previous form is franked. A recent example of this would be Khyber Kim and Zaynar. I'd love to see some stats on this but it'd be really hard to track, in my experience I've found that sticking with the form/value works quite well in these situations.

Just like to add that reading the above back that it looks somewhat sarcastic/pompous. Not looking for an arguement James you are an excellent poster and have some really interesting angles on this race. Also you deserve real credit for getting on Special Duty so early as you did, I wish I'd picked your threads up earlier.

Just trying to express my opinion. ;)

Can you recall Setas action from her debut?
I thought she looked awkward/ungainly despite romping home seemed to have a leg in suffolk & another in cambridgeshire.
Whether that was just pure inexperience/greeness im not usre but certainly looked strange.
Just with Cumani saying shes going to be better @ 4 just wondering whether shes had the experience needed?

Out of the fillies over here that is. I'm still hopeful on special Duty.

Tabassum is the in or out please?

Hopefully it has rained there..which will stop him from watering(some hope).

If the forecast is right, Seta will be longer on the day... LMC says she won't act on fast ground(as does her May Hill effort)...
But I'm not sure she 's that good anyway...Folk getting carried away with her connections imo.

Sir 25 Apr 17:39
Tabassum is the in or out please?

Well it was 27 this morning and is now 16 so I would presume it is in. From the betting I would say it's Hills chosen mount though I could be wrong.

according to stoute it was highly unlikeky to be a runner

bound to be good ground wont be rock hard like last yr had a good shower 2day some forecast in the week plus mr prossar watering. I feel Seta will win the guineas if she is able to stay up with the strong early pace bound to come special duty. Fallon needs to take the sting out of SD speed track the strong pace kick on 2 n a half furlongs out building momentum into the dip will take a good 1 to beat her if this happens. SD wont be able to maintain the constant speed she shows over a stiff mile but i see her class giving her 2nd place at least

:( :( ffs

I reckon we'll probably have about 16 runners. I expect Aidan O'Brien will only run one or two, Jim Bolger will probably only run one, Pipette and Blue Maiden won't run unless there is some ease in the ground.

"former"

Special Duty, the 7-2 favoruite with the sponsors for the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas, was today reported to be bang on target for Sunday's fillies' classic.

The filly has already tasted success at Newmarket, having stormed to an impressive defeat of Misheer in the Group One Electrolux Cheveley Park Stakes in October.

She finished third on her seasonal reappearance at Maisons-Laffitte on April 8 but her trainer Criquette Head-Maarek is no stranger to 1000 Guineas success, having saddled Ma Biche (1983), Ravinella (1988) and Hatoof (1992) to victory.

Lord Grimthorpe, racing manager to Special Dutys owner Khalid Abdulla, said today:

So who is actually going next Sunday? Me and the Mrs are going Premier enclosure with a seat for the first and last time for this. I'm not sure we'll fit in though ;).

I may still venture over to place a few bets with Barry Dennis purely cos I am so up with him at Newmarket, although that's largely due to Music Show in the Rockfel at 33s (a good omen to back with him again IMO). I have never been more excited for a race meeting before because of an antepost bet. I know it's an open race but I feel stupidly confident. Just hope they all get there safe and sound now.

I will be there, only sunday this year and i definitely wont bet with Mr D (another story best not mentioned), love the guineas meeting, shame about having to dodge the drunks though. Hoping for a very SPECIAL result ;)

8 of the last 20 1000 winners won a Gr1 as 2yo's. 3 were placed.
5 others won a Gr2. Of the 4 others Virginia Water won a Gr3 trial in Ireland just before the 1000, Wince won the Fred Darling.Ameerat easily beat Seyadah in her maiden then was snatched up on soft ground behind her in the Rockfel Gr2.That leaves Ghanaati who didn't run until Sept as a 2yo then won her maiden in october. Came into the race due to probable hold ups as a dark horse which is very unusual for the winner of this race.Conclusion.....Special Duty is the Gr 1 filly, is bred to get a mile on both sides. Criquette,s loser of this race Pas de Reponse was by Danzig who throws up a high proportion of sprinters.The dangers are Music show who won the Rockfel and the Nell Gwynn but do Channon's horses always run to form? Pollenator the May Hill winner and Hibaayeb the Fillies Mile winner. The latter 2 look as though a mile might be a little quick for them as 3yo's. Seta is a talking horse and Rumoush does't look good enough only winning an average Listed race.

sire hennessy ran over a mile 1. dam was by distant view out of a nureyev mare so i guess you could say a mile should be ideal. certainly way she was running on at the end of the cheveley park was encouraging, could be another natagora, helpful to be up there out of trouble in the guineas with so many inexperienced fillies.

trial, that's what i like to hear, and with confidence, i may sleep a little better tonight, cheers.

Winner at Chantilly today for Head Maarek with Skyteam second time out. Ran at same meeting as Special Duty on April 8th. Horses needing a run ? Right week to start coming into a bit of form.