Harrington snaps up champion jockey Murphy for Millisle ride in 1,000 Guineas

Oisin Murphy and Jessica Harrington will team up for the first time at Newmarket on Sunday week as the champion jockey has been booked to ride last year's Cheveley Park Stakes winner Millisle in the Qipco 1,000 Guineas.

Strict Covid-19 regulations mean that regular rider Shane Foley would have to quarantine for a fortnight upon his return if he made the trip to Newmarket so Harrington has instead opted to book a British-based jockey and is thrilled to have secured Murphy's services.

Harrington said: "Shane [Foley] can't ride Millisle so I've gone and booked Oisin Murphy good and early for her. I'm not slow out of the gates, you know! I've been thinking ahead."

WATCH: Millisle swoop late to land the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket last September

Millisle is generally a 10-1 shot for the 1,000 Guineas, but can be backed at 12-1 with Coral and Harrington reports the daughter of the speedy Starspangledbanner to be in rude health ahead of her Newmarket trip.

The trainer said: "Millisle heads to the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket and I see no reason why she won't stay a mile. Her breeding suggests she will get it anyway. She's done very, very well over the winter and you'd have to be excited about her for the season."

Millisle has never tried further than six furlongs but the gusto with which she finished to land the Cheveley Park Stakes from Raffle Prize suggests the step up in trip will be right up her street.

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