Lady Nouf a better Guineas shout than stablemate Roshdu Queen

William Haggas may have nabbed an Oaks when his Dancing Rain took the 2011 of the 1m4f  Classic under Johnny Murtagh, but he’s yet to earn a victory in the 1000 Guineas. This year the Newmarket handler has not one, but two leading fancies with Rhosdu Queen and Lady Nouf 16/1 and 25/1 respectively for the fillies mile classic.

Roshdu Queen will be firmly on most punter’s ante post Oaks betting radars thanks to an unbeaten four race juvenile campaign which ended with victory in Newmarket’s Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes. The race has proved a decent crystal ball for the Oaks, with Natagora and Special Duty taking the laurels before Guineas success the following season.

On her two-year-old form the Invincible Spirit filly is the fourth highest rated horse among the entries behind Certify, Purr Along and Sky Lantern, but with her sire’s career wins all coming over 6f there is some doubt as to whether she’ll stay the Guineas’ 1m as well as some of her more stoutly bred rivals.

Her dam’s sire offers some encouragement that she will stay the 1m, with Green Tune having won four races at 8f or further, including the 1994 French 2000 Guineas.

There should be no such concerns about the trainer’s Lady Nouf, who scored over 7f on good to soft going on her only start as a two-year-old. Her sire is Teofilio – a multiple group-race-winner over 7f as a juvenile – who is himself by 2011 Derby winner Galileo.

The form of her maiden win has been complimentary, with the second and third Secret Gesture and Desert Image both going on to score at the next time of asking, but perhaps more intriguing is what  William Haggas has had to say about how the filly is shaping up at home. When asked about how the filly performed in her work the trainer stated “Her work has been good and I can’t yet get her off the bridle”.