Finsceal Beo Tops 32 Fillies In The Stan James 1000 Guineas

Finsceal Beo, the top-rated European juvenile filly of 2006, heads 32 high-class entries going forward for the #350,000 Group One Stan James 1000 Guineas, run over Newmarket´s NatWest Rowley Mile on Sunday, May 6, after the forfeit stage, details of which are announced today.

Jim Bolger´s charge was mightily impressive when landing her last two outings in October, slamming Darrfonah by an easy five lengths in the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp, and following up in the Group Two 'In The Pink' Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket, defeating Rahiyah by three lengths.

The Jeremy Noseda-trained Sander Camillo showed blistering speed at two, storming to a five-length victory in the Group Two Chippenham Lodge Stud Cherry Hinton Stakes on the July Course at Newmarket.

She was reportedly below her best when runner-up to Scarlet Runner, trained by John Dunlop, in the Group Three Shadwell Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket earlier this month, just ahead of the Tim Pitt-trained Blue Rocket and Sir Michael Stoute´s Kaseema, with Barshiba and Fantasy Parkes in behind.

Stan James sponsor the first fillies´ Classic of the British season for the second time and make Finsceal Beo the hot 13/8 favourite, followed by Yaqeen at 11/2, with Sander Camillo a 6/1 hope and then go 12/1 bar.

Newmarket trainer Michael Jarvis has a fascinating contender on his hands in the shape of Yaqeen, who showed she had made progress from her sole start last season with a taking two-length success in a seven-furlong fillies´ maiden on April 19 at Newmarket´s Craven Meeting.

Indian Ink capped a fine debut season with success in the Group One Sky Bet Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in September. There was plenty to like about her first effort this term, with Richard Hannon´s filly chasing home Majestic Roi in the Group Three Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury on April 21, going down by a fast-diminishing neck, with the likes of Cast In Gold, Sesmen, Wait Watcher, Cartimandua and Puggy all finishing further back.

One Stan James 1000 Guineas contender guaranteed to appreciate every yard of the NatWest Rowley Mile is the Jeremy Noseda-trained Simply Perfect, who proved her stamina and class when capturing the Group One Fillies´ Mile at Ascot in September by a length and a half from Treat, trained by Mick Channon.

There are seven Irish-trained contenders remaining in the Stan James 1000 Guineas, including the John Oxx-trained Arch Swing, who maintained her unbeaten record with a short-head defeat of stablemate Four Sins in the Group Three 1000 Guineas Trial Stakes at Leopardstown on April 7, with Theann, trained by Aidan O´Brien, three-quarters of a length away in third.

Co Kildare handler Kevin Prendergast is responsible for 2006 Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Miss Beatrix and the twice-raced maiden Regalline, Dermot Weld keeps in Thiella, successful on her only start at Gowran Park last season, and David Wachman relies on Aleagueoftheirown, off the mark earlier this month in a 15-runner fillies´ maiden at Cork.

The French-trained hope is Magic America, trained by Criquette Head-Maarek, sixth in last year´s Sky Bet Cheveley Park Stakes and victorious on her return this campaign in the Listed Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte on April 11. Her trainer has a tremendous record in the fillies´ Classic, proving three of the last four French victories with Ma Biche (1983), Ravinella (1988) and Hatoof (1992).

Shorthand, handled by Sir Michael Stoute, Barry Hills´ Princess Valerina, Vital Statistics, trained by David Elsworth, Mick Channon´s Sweet Lilly, Selinka, from the Richard Hannon stable, the Brian Meehan -trained Bicoastal and Satulagi, in the care of Stan Moore, complete the 32-strong entry.

Michael Prosser, Newmarket´s Clerk of the Course and Director of Racing, said: 'The Stan James Guineas Festival promises to be a fantastic weekend of top-class Flat racing with one big question to be answered - can trainer Jim Bolger and jockey Kevin Manning follow in the footsteps of Aidan O´Brien and Kieren Fallon two years ago and win both Classics in the same season?

'Teofilo and Finsceal Beo both looked exceptional last season and I cannot wait to see them scorching up the famous turf on the NatWest Rowley Mile on May 5 & 6. If they run to form, one suspects it´s going to take a performance of a great champion to lower either of their colours.'

The Stan James 1000 Guineas