Horse Racing: Beo Completes Guineas Double

Finsceal Beo completed a unique double for the Newmarket Guineas winners yesterday when, like Cockney Rebel 24 hours earlier, she added victory in the Irish 1,000 Guineas to her success on the Rowley Mile three weeks ago. Victory for Jim Bolger's filly was achieved by a fast-diminishing neck from Dimenticata, a 66-1 chance, but it was enough to make her only the second 1,000 Guineas winner, after Attraction in 2005, to complete the double in the English and Irish Classics.

Unlike Attraction, though, Finsceal Beo had also attempted to win the French 1,000 Guineas on the way, and she was beaten only in the final strides of that Classic a fortnight ago. As a result, her trainer can rightly claim her to be one of the toughest three-year-old fillies for many years, as well as one of the most talented.

Kevin Manning settled Finsceal Beo in mid-division though the first half-mile yesterday at The Curragh as Peeping Fawn set a good gallop, and he pulled the 9-10 favourite from her slipstream inside the final quarter mile to quicken into the lead. Arch Swing, her main rival in the betting, dropped away on the rain-softened ground, leaving Dimenticata to come from well off the pace to force a photo-finish.

"That was a great performance," Bolger said. "The fact that she has had a very busy three weeks had nothing to do with the way she has run, she is just much better on top of the ground. She's had to be at her best to win on that ground today."

Finsceal Beo holds an entry in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot next month, but Bolger may now well step her up to a mile and a quarter in the Pretty Polly Stakes instead.

Dylan Thomas let his backers down after starting favorite at 1-2 for the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup, though he met very resolute opponents in Notnowcato and Johnny Murtagh, who also had the rail to keep them straight as Dylan Thomas challenged on the outside.

Notnowcato is the latest advertisement for Sir Michael Stoute's uncanny ability to improve horses as they mature, and is now likely to run in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Ascot or the Eclipse at Sandown, or possibly both. "It was a wonderful ride by a wonderful jockey," Evelyn de Rothschild said on behalf of his sons Anthony and David, who own Notnowcato. "Dylan Thomas came up to him and they had a real battle, and that was as good as it gets."

Aidan O'Brien, the trainer of Dylan Thomas, said after the race that he is no nearer to finalizing plans for his large entry in the Derby on Saturday, although Eagle Mountain, who ran well in the 2,000 Guineas "is definitely in the picture because while he handles fast ground, he also handles an ease."

O'Brien also said that George Washington, whose stud career was put on hold due to fertility problems earlier this year, is on course for the Queen Anne Stakes next month. "He's coming along well," O'Brien said, "and we're still hoping to have him back for Royal Ascot."