Polly Pott camp on jockey hunt for 1,000 Guineas outsider despite hailing Oisin Murphy help

Connections of Qipco 1,000 Guineas outsider Polly Pott are on the lookout for a jockey at Newmarket, but have hailed Oisin Murphy's assistance in her preparation.

Owned by Andrew and Jane Megson, Polly Pott soared through the ranks last season, winning a maiden at Bath before landing nurseries at Nottingham and Salisbury, followed by a shock 40-1 victory in Doncaster's May Hill Stakes.

The daughter of Muhaarar rounded off with a fourth in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile and is now in the care of Ben Pauling after Harry Dunlop's decision to stop training.

He is still involved in the camp and expects Murphy, Qatar Racing's retained rider who had been provisionally booked, will be required to partner the John and Thady Gosden-trained Running Lion in the Guineas.

"We're very excited," said Dunlop. "She worked at Newbury last week under Oisin and went nicely. Oisin was very complimentary and thought she was ready to go. He's been great with his advice, but might have to ride Running Lion, whom he won on at Kempton recently.

"She's got a link to Qatar Racing and we weren't sure if they'd have something, so we'll look at what's left in the 1,000 Guineas on Monday and go from there. We'd like to use someone who has ridden her, or the best available. 

"Oisin has ridden her at Ben's and at Kempton for a gallop as well, and the feedback from him has been really useful, but it seems unlikely he can ride her."

David Probert and Danny Tudhope are among the other jockeys to have ridden Polly Pott, who is a 66-1 chance for Classic glory.

"Ben is really pleased with her," added Dunlop. "The ground isn't going to be firm at Newmarket and any rain or just genuine good ground should suit her. It's a Guineas and it will be tough, but it's great to be involved and I'm still working for the Megsons, who are massive supporters.

"They won the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival with Global Citizen last year, but this is something different and winning the May Hill was wonderful, while I think she was a little unlucky in the Fillies' Mile. They're going with a chance and are enjoying the journey.

"She's grown and strengthened, and definitely deepened over the winter, and I think she'll improve going over further, but the Guineas is an obvious place to start to see where we are.

"I know she's 66-1 but she was unlucky in the Fillies' Mile and had beaten the horse who finished second [Novakai] in the May Hill."

Read more:

Leading 2,000 Guineas hope sails through latest workout as Classic countdown begins

Mawj jets in from Dubai in bid to hit the ground running in Qipco 1,000 Guineas

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