Admiration Express scored a stunning victory in the LR Ascot 1000 Guineas (1600m) on Saturday and the four-length margin puts her firmly in the frame to make a clean-sweep of the autumn classics for fillies.
The 3yo grey daughter of Westbury Park sire My Admiration (Encosta de Lago) will be favoured to win the final two legs in the LR Natasha Stakes (2200m) on March 12 and G3 WA Oaks (2400m) on March 25.
Admiration Express cruised by front-runner Feels Playful (Playing God) approaching the furlong pole and it was an easy watch for trainer Jason Miller as she coasted home under Lucy Warwick. The same combination had won the G3 Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) at Ascot in November.
“She travelled well, Lucy rode her well and she’s just a really, really good filly,” Miller said. “There’s stamina going back in her pedigree and she was strong through the line today.”
The 1000 Guineas also came on the eve of the second anniversary of My Admiration filly Cryptic Love winning the Listed 2021 Pinjarra Classic (1300m).
Admiration Express (3f My Admiration – Comme Ci by Verglas) has now earned $315,180 including Westspeed Bonuses of $50,600. She was bred and sold by Namerik Thoroughbreds owner Alan Bansemer for $60,000 at the 2021 Perth Magic Millions.
Comme Ci had already foaled My Admiration’s multiple city winner Jaguar Grey as well as Stakes performers Fred Dag (Patronize) and Janaura (Safeguard). She’s a half-sister to the dam of LR Tasmanian Guineas winner Moving Money (Artie Schiller).
Westbury Park owner Phil Ibbotson is part of the Western Breeders Alliance that topped last week’s Perth Magic Millions turnover with 28 yearlings for a combined $2,305,500. “WBA started about eight years ago and we’ve been the leading vendors for a number of years,” Ibbotson told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“We market the horses together and we can do everything a lot more professionally between the three farms. It’s a concept that’s worked really well.”