BLUE DUSTER'S big race jockey Michael Kinane sounded a note of caution yesterday as the filly builds up towards the 1,000 Guineas in 17 days' time. Kinane put Blue Duster through her paces in a six furlongs workout after racing at Newmarket.
Travelling at less than half speed, the unbeaten filly eased past her lead horse Verzen to go past the line two lengths ahead. After stepping off the second favourite for the 1,000 Guineas, Kinane said "She's just a little bit behind and she needs a few weeks before the Guineas fitness wise.
"But I was very happy with her outlook and the way she was moving. She's done, physically, very well."
Trainer David Loder had hoped to give the filly a brisker workout but was thwarted by the state of the ground.
"We wanted to do a bit more with her but it was too firm to do anything over the top," he said.
"The whole point of the exercise was to bring her to the races and get her back in the spirit of things.
"The nature of the work wasn't important. The last thing we needed to do was to jar her up on the ground."