My five favourite fillies

We’ve already taken a look back at past editions of the 2,000 Guineas – now we discover Owner Breeder photographer George Selwyn’s favourite 1,000 Guineas winners.

Pebbles, 1984

A homebred for Greek shipping magnate Captain Marcos Lemos, Pebbles was sent into training with Clive Brittain in Newmarket. As a two-year-old she finished unplaced on her debut before scoring at Newbury and Newmarket.

The latter stages of her juvenile campaign saw her contest the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes, finishing fourth behind Desirable. Returning to the Rowley Mile at three, Pebbles was victorious in the Nell Gwyn Stakes at the Craven meeting.

A date with the 1,000 Guineas awaited the daughter of Sharpen Up and while she sweated markedly before the race, her success in the Classic was decisive as she hit the front a furlong from home and pulled clear to score by three lengths.

That performance led to Sheikh Mohammed purchasing Pebbles and she would go on to become the first filly to win the Eclipse Stakes and the first British-trained runner to triumph at the Breeders’ Cup when she took the Turf at Aqueduct in 1985 on her final start.

Oh So Sharp, 1985

After a two-year-old season for trainer Henry Cecil and owner Sheikh Mohammed that yielded three wins including the Fillies’ Mile at Ascot, Oh So Sharp headed into the spring of 1985 as the outright favourite for the 1,000 Guineas.

With Lester Piggott having left Warren Place, his departure heralded the start of an outstanding partnership between Oh So Sharp and US rider Steve Cauthen.

Victory in the Nell Gwyn Stakes was the springboard to the 1,000 Guineas but all was not going to plan for Cauthen and Oh So Sharp in the Classic. Heading into the dip, they looked to have plenty on their plate as Bella Colora and Al Bahathri went toe-to-toe on the front end. Yet Cauthen galvanised Oh So Sharp and the filly flew home as the front three passed the post together.

The judge was called into action and after a long wait Oh So Sharp was called the winner by a short-head. Later that season, Oh So Sharp completed the fillies’ Triple Crown after she captured the Oaks and St Leger.

Bosra Sham, 1996

As the world’s highest-priced yearling of 1994, Bosra Sham already had a lofty reputation before setting foot on a racecourse. With Henry Cecil being trusted to guide her career, the daughter of Woodman caught the eye during her two-year-old season as she went unbeaten in two starts.

Her 1996 campaign began with a six-length success in the Fred Darling Stakes that reaffirmed her standing as favourite for the 1,000 Guineas. But disaster struck 48 hours before the Group 1 as Bosra Sham, who suffered from foot problems, was found to be lame in her near fore.

Somehow, Cecil was able to get his star filly back on track and under the drive of jockey Pat Eddery, got the better of Matiya to prevail by one and a half lengths. It was an emotional triumph for Cecil, who had lost the support of Sheikh Mohammed the year before.

The Newmarket crowd cheered Cecil as he entered the winner’s enclosure and once Bosra Sham had survived a stewards’ inquiry, an even bigger roar rang out. Plagued by injury problems for the rest of her career, Bosra Sham also landed the Champion Stakes, the Brigadier Gerard Stakes and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes before being retired.

Attraction, 2004

Beset by injury problems, Attraction hadn’t been seen on a racecourse since landing the Cherry Hinton Stakes during her two-year-old season in 2003. For her trainer Mark Johnston and owner-breeder the Duke of Roxburghe, she defied the odds when landing the 2004 Classic.

Under jockey Kevin Darley, Attraction made most of the running and when pressured by the fast-finishing Sun Drop, she held on to win by half a length. Attraction followed up that performance with victory in the Irish 1,000 Guineas before adding the Coronation Stakes, Sun Chariot and Matron Stakes to her CV.

Retired to her birthplace at Floors Stud in Scotland, she became an important broodmare for her late owner-breeder. Her progeny include the Group 3-winning Fountain Of Youth and the Group-placed Cushion.

It is Attraction’s son, Elarqam, who has become her best performer and 14 years after his dam’s success at Newmarket, he finished fourth behind Saxon Warrior in the 2018 2,000 Guineas.

Speciosa, 2006

Winner of the Nell Gwyn Stakes before lining up in the 1,000 Guineas for trainer and part-owner Pam Sly, Speciosa relished the testing ground that prevailed at Newmarket for the 2006 Classic, as befits a daughter of Danehill Dancer.

As the field split into two groups, Speciosa was quickly sent to lead the nearside group by jockey Michael Fenton, who gradually wound things up from the front. Late challenges came from Confidential Lady and Nasheej but they were unable to catch Speciosa, who galloped on relentlessly to score by two and a half lengths.

While it proved to be the final success of Speciosa’s career, she did go on to finish second to Peeping Fawn in the 2007 Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes.

Speciosa has gone on to produce three winners since retiring to the paddocks.