The 1000 Guineas is one of the five Classics of British racing on the flat and is held at Newmarket as a feature of the Guineas Festival in late April or early May. It is run over a distance of one mile, on the venue’s Rowley Mile course. First contested way back in 1814, it takes place on Sunday, a day after the first Classic of the season, the 2000 Guineas, which pre-dates this by five years. With a first prize approaching £300,000, it is not just history and prestige that attract the best in the business though.
The contest is open to fillies only and, like all the Classics, only those aged three – the so-called “Classic generation”. Fillies who take part may also attempt to go for the Oaks, another Classic that takes place later in the season. The most recent horse to do the double was Love in 2020, whilst other famous winners of this race include Minding (who also did the double) and 2018 victor Billesdon Brook, who was priced at 66/1 for her victory!
2026 - True Love
Doubts about True Love's stamina appeared totally misplaced here as she comfortably won this running of the 1,000 Guineas. Wayne Lordan guided the 5-1 shot from the nearside rail towards the centre of the track before she pulled clear in the closing stages despite drifting to the right. She finished one and three-quarter lengths ahead of Evolutionist, who was no match for the winner. True Love’s heavily backed stablemate Precise, who was riding in the same group as Evolutionist, could only manage a disappointing seventh.
- 1st – True Love 5/1, Jockey: Wayne Lordan, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 2nd – Evolutionist 16/1, Jockey: Shane Foley, Trainer: Karl Burke
- 3rd – Venetian Lace 33/1, Jockey: Jason Hart, Trainer: Charlie Johnston
2025 - Desert Flower
Desert Flower maintained her unbeaten record with a commanding performance on the Rowley Mile. William Buick sent the Godolphin filly straight into the lead, and she continued to stave off the pressure with two furlongs remaining. Flight emerged as the main challenger but could not match the winner's finishing strength. This meant Desert Flower led from start to finish in what was a race low on drama. After the contest, Charlie Appleby hailed his victorious horse as ‘by far’ the best filly he had ever trained for Godolphin. Now, that is some statement!
- 1st - Desert Flower EvsF, Jockey: William Buick, Trainer: Charlie Appleby
- 2nd - Flight 28/1, Jockey: Oisin Murphy, Trainer: Ollie Sangster
- 3rd - Simmering 33/1, Jockey: Dylan Browne McMonagle, Trainer: Ollie Sangster
2024 - Elmalka
Defying the expectations of the bookmakers and punters, Elmalka produced a dramatic late surge to claim the 2024 race at long odds of 28-1. Silvestre de Sousa settled the Roger Varian-trained filly towards the back of the 16-runner field before she began making ground in the final furlong. Ramatuelle was the horse to catch as she took charge of the race out of the Dip, but as she tired, Elmalka, Porta Fortuna and Tamfana were thrust into serious contention. The frantically close finish saw Ramatuelle concede first (and second) place just steps away from the line, with Elmalka’s perfectly timed surge proving decisive.
- 1st - Elmalka 28/1, Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa, Trainer: Roger Varian
- 2nd - Porta Fortuna 11/1, Jockey: Tom Marquand, Trainer: Donnacha O’Brien
- 3rd - Ramatuelle 9/2, Jockey: Aurelien Lemaitre, Trainer: Christopher Head
2023 - Mawj
Despite there being 20 runners in this edition, the race ended up being a battle between just two of them, Mawj and Tahiyra. The pair were so much stronger than the other 18 that there was a yawning seven-and-a-half-length gap between Tahiyra in second and the third-placed Matilda Picoette. Watching the race, many assumed the favourite would prevail in the two-way battle, but Mawj had a slight advantage that she dug deep to maintain. By constantly repelling the intense pressure of Tahiyra, Mawj was able to secure a valuable victory for Saeed bin Suroor.
- 1st - Mawj 9/1, Jockey: Osin Murphy, Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor
- 2nd - Tahiyra 6/4F, Jockey: Chris Hayes, Trainer: Dermot Weld
- 3rd - Matilda Picotte 33/1, Jockey: Ronan Whelan, Trainer: Kieran Cotter
2022 - Cachet
Cachet unexpectedly made all to win this contest at Newmarket. James Doyle committed George Boughey's filly to the lead despite her stepping up to a mile for the first time, and she continued to find enough to resist her challengers. Prosperous Voyage closed strongly during the final stages, and was making up serious ground, but the line came just too soon for her efforts to pay off. Having waited 18 years to ride a Classic winner, Doyle suddenly had two winners in as many days after also claiming the 2,000 Guineas aboard Coroebus the previous day.
- 1st - Cachet 16/1, Jockey: James Doyle, Trainer: George Boughey
- 2nd - Prosperous Voyage 33/1, Jockey: Rob Hornby, Trainer: Ralph Beckett
- 3rd - Tuesday 4/1, Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
2021 - Mother Earth
Mother Earth delivered another major success for Aidan O'Brien, securing his third consecutive 1,000 Guineas victory. Frankie Dettori positioned the 10-1 chance in mid-division before asking her to accelerate in the closing stages. She responded with a decisive turn of foot to take the lead with under two furlongs left. Although there was still plenty left to do, she maintained her pace, enabling her to hold off the threat of Saffron Beach, Fev Rover and joint-favourite Santa Barbara who all finished around a length behind.
- 1st - Mother Earth 10/1, Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 2nd - Saffron Beach 9/1, Jockey: Adam Kirby, Trainer: Jane Chapple-Hyam
- 3rd - Fev Rover 22/1, Jockey: Paul Hanagan, Trainer: Richard Fahey
2020 - Love
The brilliant Love powered away from her rivals to win this edition of the Classic by an emphatic four and a half lengths under Ryan Moore. Cloak of Spirits set the pace, with four fillies still in contention after the field emerged from the dip. Among them was the favourite Quadrilateral, but she was no match for the eventual winner. In fact, none of them were, as when Love was shaken into the lead, none of her tiring rivals ever looked like stopping her.
- 1st - Love 4/1, Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- 2nd - Cloak Of Spirits 12/1, Jockey: Andrea Atzeni, Trainer: Richard Hannon
- 3rd - Quadrilateral 11/4F, Jockey: Jason Watson, Trainer: Roger Charlton
2019 - Hermosa
Wayne Lordan adopted attacking tactics aboard Hermosa, sending the 14-1 chance straight to the front in this edition. The Aidan O'Brien-trained filly turned the mile into a searching test of stamina and came under pressure in the closing stages as Lady Kaya and Qabala threatened running into the dip. However, she found extra on the rising ground to secure a start-to-finish victory. The result completed a fourth Guineas double for O'Brien, who had already won the colts' Classic with Magna Grecia.
- 1st - Hermosa 14/1, Jockey: Wayne Lordan, Trainer: A P O'Brien
- 2nd - Lady Kaya 11/1, Jockey: Robbie Colgan, Trainer: Ms Sheila Lavery
- 3rd - Qabala 7/2F, Jockey: David Egan, Trainer: Roger Varian
2018 - Billesdon Brook
Billesdon Brook stunned Newmarket with a 66-1 victory, becoming the longest-priced winner in the lengthy history of the 1,000 Guineas. Sean Levey brought Richard Hannon's filly through the field with a powerful late run, taking the lead approaching the final furlong and pulling clear to win with some comfort. Runner-up Laurens, who had beaten her in the previous season's May Hill Stakes, could not match her finishing speed. Such shock results can sometimes carry a degree of good fortune, but this was a fully deserved victory and one that made Levey the first black jockey to win a Classic.
- 1st - Billesdon Brook 66/1, Jockey: Sean Levey, Trainer: Richard Hannon
- 2nd - Laurens 7/1, Jockey: P J McDonald, Trainer: Karl R. Burke
- 3rd - Happily 11/4F, Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: A P O'Brien
2017 - Winter
Winter showed her class with a determined victory in this renewal. Wayne Lordan kept the filly travelling smoothly through the field before she moved into the lead and opened up a substantial advantage. The well-fancied Rhododendron encountered trouble in running when attempting to make her challenge, losing valuable ground as she searched for a clear passage. She finished strongly after moving sharply out to the left where there was space but lacked the time to fully close the gap. Needless to say, it was frustrating second-place finish for a jockey more accustomed to winning, Ryan Moore.
- 1st - Winter 9/1, Jockey: Wayne Lordan, Trainer: A P O'Brien
- 2nd - Rhododendron 5/4F, Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: A P O'Brien
- 3rd - Daba 5/1, Jockey: Frankie Dettori, Trainer: John Gosden
2016 - Minding
- 1st - Minding 11/10F, Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: A P O'Brien
- 2nd - Ballydoyle 15/2, Jockey: Seamie Heffernan, Trainer: A P O'Brien
- 3rd - Alice Springs 16/1, Jockey: Colm O'Donoghue, Trainer: A P O'Brien
2015 - Legatissimo
- 1st - Legatissimo 13/2, Jockey: Ryan Moore, Trainer: David Wachman
- 2nd - Lucida 9/2F, Jockey: Kevin Manning, Trainer: James S. Bolger
- 3rd - Tiggy Wiggy 9/1, Jockey: Richard Hughes, Trainer: Richard Hannon
2014 - Miss France
- 1st - Miss France 7/1, Jockey: Maxine Guyon, Trainer: Andre Fabre
- 2nd - Lightning Thunder 14/1, Jockey: Harry Bentley, Trainer: Olly Stevens
- 3rd - Ihtimal 7/1, Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa, Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor