The 1000 Guineas winner for 2007 is -
INSOUCIANT
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TItXMsq2wro
(There's a nasty spill early in the race - both horses were OK. One jockey sprained his wrist, the other rode the winner of the next race! Lucky no one was seriously hurt).
Now here's some information about our first Classic winner for the 2007-08 season.
Pedigree:
http://www.pedigreequery.com/insouciant4
By reasonably young sire Keeper (who was also the sire of 2nd placegetter Keepa Cruisin, the half-sister to Seachange), Insouciant is a homebred from Pencarrow Stud (actually all of the first 3 were homebreds from dominant studs in NZ, with Keepa Crusin from The Oaks and Lovetrista from Cambridge) out of their Palace Music mare Loudenne.
She won her first race by 10 lengths at Taupo, but then went straight into G3 company at Hastings and her inexperience cost her. She moved from 8th to 3rd with a stunning burst of speed but then kept ducking in towards the inside and in the end finished only fourth behind Diamond Deck. Back in a lesser race a couple of weeks later, she coasted to an effortless 5 length win.
Insouciant's fourth start was a memorable stretch duel with the then undefeated Anna Bek, with the latter just prevailing after an epic battle. Insouciant had worked hard in the lead throughout this race and tired in the final stages, but we got a first glimpse of her toughness when she refused to lie down. (Anna Bek found the mile too far in the Guineas and faded to finish 6th)
And 1000 Guineas day was her day. Given a beautiful ride at the front by Michael Walker, the filly's kick at the top of the straight was too strong for her rivals, and she left them in her wake.
It doesn't look like she'll go much further than a mile, unlike 3rd Lovetrista and 4th Double Or Nothin. But I'm sure she has plenty of wins ahead over distances up to and including a mile. Pencarrow have probably the best horse they've had since Caulfield-Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal.
Guineas week continues on Wednesday with a G3 race for mares, a G3 sprint and a G2 mile. The 2000 Guineas is run next Saturday. Can't wait.