Champion juvenile filly and leading 1,000 Guineas contender Opera Singer likely to miss Newmarket due to setback

Leading 1,000 Guineas contender Opera Singer is an unlikely runner in the Newmarket Classic due to a setback, her trainer Aidan O'Brien has reported. 

The daughter of Justify had been as short as 4-1 for the race since recording an impressive five-length victory in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp, a performance which led to her being crowned Europe's champion two-year-old filly.

However, her preparation has been held up by two weeks and O'Brien suggested she would likely swerve the Rowley Mile on May 5 and return in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on May 26 instead.

O'Brien told Racing TV: “Opera Singer is a little bit behind and might not make the English Guineas – the colts [City Of Troy and Henry Longfellow] are good and forward and where we want them to be.

"She had had a little setback and had to have two weeks easy. When you have that it's difficult enough to get to the English Guineas. It's possible but I'd say it's more unlikely than likely and she could end up starting at the Curragh rather than in England.

"We won't force her. She's a beautiful, big filly and I'm very happy with her. She's had a couple of easy weeks so we just need to be aware of that."

Prior to her victory in France, Opera Singer had powered clear of Brilliant to win a Group 3 at the Curragh and she is related to top-level winners Hit It A Bomb and Brave Anna.

The news has resulted in her price drifting to 8-1, with Fillies' Mile winner and stablemate Ylang Ylang now 4-1 favourite for the 1,000 Guineas. Fallen Angel, the Karl Burke-trained Moyglare Stud Stakes winner, is 5-1.

Qipco 1,000 Guineas (Newmarket, May 5)

bet365: 4 Ylang Ylang, 5 Fallen Angel, 8 Opera Singer, 10 One Look, 12 Dance Sequence, Matrika, 14 Cinderella's Dream, 16 Porta Fortuna, Ramateulle, Shuwari, 20 bar

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