It was good to read the upbeat reports about Certify and Just The Judge in the last day or two.  Al Zarooni said: "Certify has pleased us over the winter and although she is a small filly, we know she has an engine and has guts. She goes straight for the 1,000 Guineas."  Charlie Hills said: "I've been very pleased with her since she came in. She has done everything right. She is a clean-winded filly and 100 per cent on course for the Guineas. She hasn't come in her coat yet but she looked wintry when she won the Rockfel so that's no concern."

I'm a little surprised to see the tip and money for Snow Queen, as I would have thought that Magical Dream would be Ballydoyle's main contender for the Guineas, as she ran in (and won) the CL Weld Park Stakes last autumn (a race in which both of O'Brien's previous Guineas winners Virginia Waters and Homecoming Queen managed to get beaten).

To be completely honest, I don't read anything into the little bits of money on here for Big Break.  Significant cuts to bookmaker prices are a much better indicator, so it's noteworthy that she has shortened with three of the big firms in recent weeks.
More updates (courtesy of today's RP): What A Name will go for the Prix Imprudence, with a view to running in the Guineas. Flotilla is more likely to go for the French Guineas (with the Prix de la Grotte as a likely prep race). Purr Along has thrived over the winter and will go straight for the Guineas (or the French Guineas). Rosdhu Queen may run in the Fred Darling, if not she will go straight to the Guineas. Lady Nouf may run in the Nell Gwyn. Lovely Pass is a possible second string for Godolphin in the Guineas. Hot Snap could run in a Guineas trial. Winning Express will be aimed at the Nell Gwyn. Roz may head straight for the Guineas without a prep run. Snow Queen is a 'possible' for the Guineas and other O'Brien-trained fillies are likely to run in the trial races.

Certify, Sky Lantern and What A Name are all massive win bets for me as things stand (all netting me £20K-£25K profit).  Just The Judge would be next best (15K profit).

Very interesting comments thanks chaps

11 fillies hold their ground for the Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte on Thursday.  What A Name (Christophe Lemaire) is likely to start favourite, but soft ground is unlikely to suit her.  I don't know the advance going but the going for tomorrow's racing at Fontainebleau and Saint-Cloud is soft or very soft, so it's likely to be similar at M-L on Thursday.  Mikel Delzangles' filly is almost certainly a much better filly on good ground. Peace Burg (Christophe Soumillon, taking the ride for the first time) and Aquatinta (Olivier Peslier) look the biggest dangers on last season's form.  Sara Lucille (Thierry Jarnet) is not without a chance, as she nearly got up to beat Purr Along in the Prix du Calvados last season but was given too much to do. Expect a tactical race and a muddling result!

Will Jamie Spencer ride her over here James? What A Name. The most over rated jockey there is imo.

The classic season gets underway today with the trial races at Maisons-Laffitte.  I'm really looking forward to seeing the reappearance of What A Name in the Prix Imprudence.  In terms of quality this is likely to prove a better Guineas trial than either the Nell Gwyn or the Fred Darling (or any of the Irish trials), with several of the runners having already proven themselves at Gr.3 level or above last season, and it should be a very informative race.  The going, thankfully, is good to soft and won't be anywhere near as testing as the heavy ground What A Name encountered in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere last autumn.  She has been working well in preparation for this race and I will be disappointed if she gets beaten.  However, Mikel Delzangles (yet to hit the target this year) is sure to have left something to work on, so I'm not expecting any 'fireworks' this afternoon.  Jean-Claude Rouget (46 winners already this year) and Henri-Alex Pantall (27 winners) have made a bright start to the year, so Peace Burg and Aquatinta merit considerable respect.  I imagine that Pantall's pair Kensea and Interesting, both useful fillies in their own right, will help to ensure a decent pace, which should help set the race up for the fillies that will be brought late with a turn of foot.

Usually on ATR aint it?

Coming up on ATR at 1.40...

A crackin run to win considering the passage she had

Thanks for the update - great news

tks all

Delzangles said after the race that he would consider both the English and French Guineas, but that his preference is to go to Newmarket.  I agree that she should be outright favourite for the race now at around 4/1-5/1 (looks overpriced at 8/1).

sint, I'm sure your comment about Charlie Hills was slightly tongue-in-cheek, but I wouldn't be put off by his short career thus far as a fully-fledged trainer - after all, he was assistant trainer to father Barry when he won the Guineas with Ghanaati a few years ago, and I dare say Barry is still there in the background offering advice whenever it is sought...

I'm fairly sure that What A Name will get a truly-run mile.  The Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere was the only truly-run race she has participated in so far and she wasn't stopping at the end of 7f on testing ground there as a two-year-old (the winning time was remarkably fast, 1m 25.73, considering the conditions).  I know that her dam is by the phenomenally speedy Dayjur, but her maternal grand-dam was a 10f performer (by Roberto) so there is plenty of stamina there in the pedigree to back up the visual impression that she will get the extra furlong.

The thing that bothers me about Big Break (even though I've backed her!) is Dermot Weld's more or less non-existent record in the 1000 Guineas.  He's not had a single runner in the race for at least the last 25 years, as far as I can trace.

I think she'd need to make above average improvement to trouble some of the other fancied fillies (assuming they make the race), today's race didn't prove much, not for me.

As soon as Aquatinta's pacemaker Interesting was withdrawn at the start (after refusing to enter the stalls) I suspected there would be no pace in the race, but What A Name was there simply to prove her well-being and I was very satisfied with her performance today.  Figgis, weren't you impressed by her two-year-old performances?

Harry, I wasn't expecting anything more than I saw from her today, she would've needed to do more than I expected (which does occasionally happen in trials) for me to back her for the Guineas, as I don't think her 2yo form is quite good enough.

Jamesp, I think Olympic Glory put up a decent performance in the Lagardere, I reckon Dawn Approach was the only 2yo to run a better race over 7f, albeit he was a few pounds better and the Longchamp 7f is a few yards short of the advertised trip. Including the fillies allowance, What A Name comes out 7lbs, maybe 8lbs, worse, which is short of what I'd expect for a future 1,000 winner. Possibly she was inconvenienced by the very soft ground and possibly she can make above average improvement, but I don't see the 8/1 as any value.

By the way, I'm not saying the 8/1 won't prove to be value for those that like to trade their position, I'm just saying that, for me, it just doesn't represent value as to her chance of winning.

interesting...well racing all about opinions and mine is she is a play and will be backing my judgement...sky lantern not without hope by the way although i don't like the fact she went to the states...don't know why but just feel it takes a lot out of a 2 year old although did o'briens juvenile no harm in the uae derby

Didn't see the race today and won't back her again until I've seen it.

It would appear that she has retained her turn of foot and I remain hopeful she can do that at the end of a mile. If for some reason it turns tactical it will hold no fear for her. 8/1 seems a decent price for a horse that has at least proved her well-being on a racecourse, especially in a year with no standout performer....at this stage.

I also like Sky Lantern but put off by her trip to the BC and the fact that Hannon has no real history with fillies. That said the stable seem very confident. Big Break showed a good deal of promise last season but her actual form is nothing to write home about and personally would say her 12/1 price is worse value than What a Name's.