Sunday 2nd May 2010
Special Duty awarded dramatic StanJames.com 1000 Guineas
SPECIAL DUTY (pink cap, left) won the StanJames.com 1000 Guineas in the stewards’ room after passing the post in second behind Jacqueline Quest.
The officials ruled that the 66/1 outsider Jacqueline Quest caused interference to Special Duty.
Tom Queally’s mount drifted across the track taking Special Duty with her and - as only a nose separated the pair at the finish - the stewards decided to overturn the initial result.
Both Special Duty and Jacqueline Quest were in the nearside group which was soon well ahead of the runners on the far side.
Jacqueline Quest hit the front with two furlongs to go but edged into the middle of the track impeding the run of the 9/2 French-trained favourite Special Duty.
Trainer Jim Bolger’s Gile Na Greine was a fast-finishing third, while Music Show fared best of those who raced on the far-side finishing up in sixth place overall.
Winning trainer Criquette Head-Maarek, who was saddling her fourth winner of the race, said: "Stephane said had the other filly not pushed him over, he would have won easily - but she (Jacqueline Quest) was drifting all the time.
"I don't like to win races like that and I feel very sorry for the others. I think they (the stewards) were right to do that, but I didn't think they would."
The triumphant jockey Stephane Pasquier added: "It's difficult to win like that, but my filly showed a good turn of foot. IShe proved she's a very good filly. My first question was if she could stay a mile and today she proved it. She's a strong filly with a lot of character."
A naturally disappointed Henry Cecil, trainer of Jacqueline Quest, said: “If our filly took Special Duty across the course then she deserved to win. My filly ran really well and is improving.”
