Precise Turns Tables in Irish One Thousand Guineas

This was the real Precise (IRE). This was the Precise who blew us away last year. This was the Precise who won the Fillies' Mile (G1) by a mile and left the likes of Legacy Link (GB) in her wake. This was the Precise her trainer hailed as "unique" and something he had "never had before." Oh, yes, the Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) at the Curragh May 24 was the moment Precise reminded us all that we are not just dealing with an outstanding 2-year-old here, but, perhaps, an even better 3-year-old. The market got it badly wrong, as did Ryan Moore, with both falling for True Love (IRE). Who could blame them? She was a brilliant winner of the One Thousand Guineas (G1) at Newmarket May 3 and Precise had 5 lengths to make up in the space of just three weeks. She didn't just make them up, she added on another two and a half for good measure. This was as emphatic as it gets in a Classic. It was Aidan O'Brien's 12th success in this particular Classic and the sixth time he has mopped up both the One Thousand and Two Thousand Irish Guineas in the same weekend. But it's the first time he has completed the English-French-Irish One Thousand Guineas treble. In True Love, Diamond Necklace (IRE), and Precise, he has three of the most fabulous fillies he could wish for. Precise might just be the pick of them. O'Brien has been telling us she is unique, and she could try to do something that is almost unique next. No Ballydoyle-based filly has won the Irish One Thousand Guineas and the Epsom Oaks (G1) since Imagine did the double 25 years ago, but there is every chance Precise will bid for the quickfire double at Epsom June 5. O'Brien said of her next move: "We were talking on the way to the races and Annemarie (O'Brien's wife) said how much stamina is in the pedigree and she is out of a really good and genuine Galileo mare. "Obviously the lads will make the decision with regard to running in the Oaks and we'll see how she comes out of today. There is a good chance she'll run and Ryan felt today that she was running with a view to going on to the Oaks. It's very exciting and she has an incredible pedigree." Her performances are more than matching that pedigree and she turned on the turbo down the outside with about a furlong to go, sweeping past True Love in the blink of an eye and putting clear daylight between herself and her Newmarket conqueror. In another furlong, she would have been completely out of sight. If she does get 1 1/2 miles at Epsom, she might just be an Arc filly. Elaborating on how she stepped up from Newmarket to the Curragh, the master trainer said: "Roger (Quinlan), who rides her every day, said this morning that she was a different filly than the one going to Newmarket. Wayne (Lordan) gave her a beautiful ride and we're over the moon. She really stepped forward today. "At Newmarket, Ryan was on the wrong side and when he made his move, she got tired. She needed the run and Ryan looked after her in the last half-furlong." On Moore picking the wrong one again, O'Brien added: "It's very difficult on Ryan and we discussed riding arrangements before declaration time. It was very hard for him not to ride True Love. He didn't ride her at Newmarket because we weren't sure she would get a mile, but she proved that she did there. "Precise was only beaten 5 lengths at Newmarket, which isn't that much for this type of filly, but she is a serious one and is as good as we've had. It looks like she'll have no problem going further." For the unassuming and softly-spoken Lordan, it was another Classic in the bag as he completed the English-Irish Guineas double on two different fillies. When asked how he felt when Moore had jocked him off True Love, Lordan replied: "I didn't actually mind, because I knew I was still getting a good ride in the race. It is what it is, but I genuinely didn't mind. "Precise was coming into this year as one of the good fillies. She had a little setback at the start of the year but Aidan had been saying how much she had improved from Newmarket to here and it's been a lucky day for me." You make your own luck in this game and Lordan is making the most of every single opportunity he is being given these days. You never know, he might keep the ride on Precise in the Oaks, too, if Moore opts for ante-post favorite Amelia Earhart (IRE). Decisions, decisions.