Hard to pick holes in the CV of the next year's 1,000 Guineas favourite Meditate

Sunday: 3.00 Curragh
Moyglare Stud Stakes (Group 1) | 7f | 2yo | ITV4/RTE/RTV

In his search for a perfect ten, Aidan O'Brien looks to have a filly with a perfect mind and body in Meditate.

The winner of the Moyglare Stud Stakes has resided in Ballydoyle on nine occasions, most recently with subsequent 1,000 Guineas and Oaks heroine Love in 2019, and Meditate appears to have outstanding credentials.

She is already as short as 6-1 favourite for next year's Qipco 1,000 Guineas with bet365 and it is hard to find flaws in anything she has done.

She landed what looked a strong renewal of the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot on her third start, having won a Curragh maiden and a Group 3 at Naas on the way there.

Her Debutante Stakes success 22 days ago was not as easy on the eye as her first three victories but she dug deep when she needed to and fended off Olivia Maralda and Thornbrook. That's solid form.

Sent off the 8-13 favourite there, she touched a high of almost 4-1 on Betfair in running and that tells you all you need to know about how vulnerable she looked entering the final two furlongs, but she still found a way to win. The good ones always do and she looks a very good one indeed.

Meditate has an official rating of 109, which is 10lb higher than what Discoveries was rated going into the race last year. It is an identical rating to Happily and Magical, who fought out the finish to the race in 2017 where just a short head separated them.

The daughter of No Nay Never has achieved enough already to be up there with the most talented winners of the Moyglare in recent years. She seems adaptable with regard to tactics and ground too, having won her maiden on yielding ground and the Albany on good to firm. Picking holes in her CV is an arduous task.

Tahiyra: Galway winner could be smartCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

There are quite a few unknown quantities in opposition, though. Tahiyra looked a potential star when running away with what is traditionally a hot Galway maiden in July and this half-sister to the mighty Tarnawa has already proved she handles cut in the ground.

She was handed a Racing Post rating of 97 for that debut victory, 17lb more than Meditate got for winning hers. She could be anything but she will need to be pretty special to beat the battle-hardened favourite from Ballydoyle. Dermot Weld last won the Moyglare in 1987 with Flutter Away.

Thornbrook made Meditate fight for glory in the Debutante and could have more to offer, while Lakota Sioux is a fascinating contender from the Mark and Charlie Johnston yard. She was value for more than the winning margin in the Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket as she wandered all over the place in the closing stages and could have any amount of improvement in her locker.

What they say

Donnacha O'Brien, trainer of La Dolce Vita
She's in good form since her last run. I actually think we've been riding her wrong in her last few races and we're going to take our time with her in this. She'll handle the soft ground and hopefully she will outrun her odds.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Meditate and Never Ending Story
We've been very happy with Meditate since the Debutante, everything has gone well. It was her first start over seven furlongs and we always thought there was a good chance she would stay the trip even though she started off over five furlongs. We felt she'd be very comfortable over six furlongs and further. We've always thought a lot of Never Ending Story. It was a very messy race last time at Deauville and she just got caught out on a wing. We've been very happy with her since.

Fozzy Stack: Papilio runs for his yardCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Fozzy Stack, trainer of Papilio
She's in good form. She's been working nicely and seems to be in a very good place.

Paddy Twomey, trainer of Shelton
She's learning with racing. I think she's improving with every run and running over seven furlongs here should see her put up another improved performance. I expect her to run very well.

Chris Hayes, rider of Tahiyra
She did what we thought she would do at Galway. She gave me a lovely feel there and has improved at home since. We're firing her into the deep end but we think that she's up to it.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Thornbrook
She ran well in the Debutante and wasn't beaten far. Hopefully she can take another step forward and run a nice race in what looks a competitive Moyglare.

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