It's 14 years since Con Collins, one of the doyens of racehorse training on the Curragh, landed his only classic victory to date, but Heed My Warning looks a value bet to double that total in tomorrow's Airlie-Coolmore Irish 1,000 Guineas.
It was another filly, Princess Pati, who won the Oaks for Collins back in 1984 and, like her, Heed My Warning, owned by movie actor John Hurt, will be ridden by Pat Shanahan.
The Collins-Shanahan partnership has been traditionally feared on big Curragh weekends in the supporting races, but in a year where Cape Verdi appears well clear of her contemporaries, this Irish classic looks both competitive and up for grabs.
Heed My Warning proved her quality when just getting touched off by Tarascon in last year's Moyglare and was acknowledged to be off peak form when running in her two races so far this season. The first was a third to Muchea in the Gladness Stakes, and that was followed by a short-head defeat by Kincara Palace in the Athasi. A different filly is expected tomorrow, however. "She has improved a lot from the last day and I hope she will run well," Collins said yesterday.
An improving filly with proven Group One form and the ability to thrive on fastish going, she is a formidable proposition in tomorrow's context.
Shahtoush led the Newmarket Guineas field home behind Cape Verdi, with Cloud Castle fourth and Crazee Mental unplaced, but the fact that she wasn't the one picked by Christy Roche from the four Aidan O'Brien entries hardly roars of confidence.
"Christy had the pick and he knows them all well but none of them have disappointed at home," O'Brien emphasised yesterday, but still it's interesting that Roche has gone for Sharp Catch, a short-head winner over five furlongs last October, instead of the proven classic form. At that rate, none of the O'Brien team can be safely discarded.
Godolphin's La Nuit Rose was third in the French 1,000 Guineas but might appreciate cut in the ground, while the other supplementary entry, Time Limit, has just won a Killarney maiden. Tarascon's unhappy experience at Newmarket is hardly the ideal preparation either, and, in the circumstances, Heed My Warning at a good each-way price is selected.
In terms of quality, the Group Two Tattersalls Gold Cup possibly looks even more interesting than the feature. The Irish Oaks and French St Leger winner, Ebadiyla, is back for another season, but has to face the Irish Derby runner-up, Dr Johnson, as well as the French 2,000 Guineas winner, Daylami. The ratings point to Dr Johnson as the likely winner.
