Duty First team excited to take Guineas plunge on Sunday

Duty First is all set for the Betfred 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday after connections supplemented her at a cost of £30,000 following her victory at Newbury earlier this month.

Sent off at 33-1 for the Fred Darling in the hands of Hollie Doyle, she defied those odds in style with a performance that prompted owners Victorious Racing to add the Archie Watson-trained daughter of Showcasing to the first fillies’ Classic of the year.

Billy Jackson-Stops, racing manager for Victorious Racing, said: “That was the natural path after her win the other day, it was a bit of a formality we were going to have a go at the Guineas, so we supplemented her this morning. Archie’s been very happy with her.”

Duty First also holds an entry in the Irish 1000 Guineas, but Watson felt Newmarket was the right spot.

Jackson-Stops added: “We thought so. We left that slightly up to Archie as the trainer, he said that was the natural fit for her.

“That was his preference and that’s what we’ve done.”

Mightily impressive at Newbury, Duty First pulled clear in the final furlong to win cosily, and Jackson-Stops said connections are excited with what they might have on their hands.

He added: “I don’t think it shocked anyone. Archie seemed to think that she’d been working very well at home. I know the price is pretty big, but we’ll have to see what happens next.

“She’ll get an entry in the Coronation and probably the Commonwealth (Cup). We spoke to Shaikh Nasser (Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa) this morning. He’s very excited about her and he’s really looking forward to the Guineas.

“I know she’s never run over six (furlongs), but we thought we’d better make the early entry tomorrow for the Commonwealth just in case.

“She’s got a lot of natural speed. Going up the hill at Ascot might suit her, but if she goes well and runs a nice race in the Guineas she could go forward to Coronation and Shaikh Nasser seems very excited, just about the horse and about Sunday and I think for him it’s just a very good moment.”