Champion jockey Oisin Murphy reckons ‘very tough’ Alcohol Free can serve it up to them in 1000 Guineas

CHAMPION jockey Oisin Murphy reckons Alcohol Free can leave her rivals punch-drunk in the 1000 Guineas on Sunday.

The Andrew Balding-trained filly is one of the big fancies for the fillies’ Classic at Newmarket.

Alcohol Free (right) is a leading contender for the 1000 Guineas

The market is headed by the Aidan O’Brien-trained Santa Barbara (6-4), with Pretty Gorgeous (4-1) and Alcohol Free (7-1) next best with Betfair.

Alcohol Free ended her two-year-old campaign with victory in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile.

And she could hardly have made a better start to this season when battling to a gutsy victory in the Fred Darling at Newbury.

The daughter of No Nay Never is tackling a mile for the first time in her career, but Murphy, who won the 2000 Guineas on board Kameko last year, reckons the extra yardage won’t be an issue.

He said: “I was really thrilled with her at Newbury. She was just ready to start off.

“She did everything nicely in the race. I made her come back and wait and go through the gears and she did it all well.

“She has come out of the race well. She hasn’t done any serious work since – it has all been routine work but she has passed every test so far. 

“She really stuck her neck out at Newbury but she wasn’t fully wound up and Andrew made everyone aware of that.

“We certainly felt she would improve for the race. I was happy with her performance and she got to the line well.

“She got six furlongs very well and the Cheveley Park is a good Guineas trial. She got seven furlongs well in the Fred Darling too.

“She was in the firing line from two out and though the pace wasn’t very strong she had to battle. We always felt she was a Guineas filly from last year.

“She is very tough and she gets her ears back and even in her work she doesn’t like to be passed. Every time I’ve ridden her she has got her head down and galloped – she really has got lots of heart.”

Murphy said that winning his first ever Classic on Kameko last summer was a dream come true.

And now he wants to add another piece of Newmarket silverware to his haul.

He said: “My first Classic last year on Kameko was a great moment. It’s a race I wanted to win growing up.

“With Alcohol Free this weekend in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, she’s got the perfect profile. She’s a Cheveley Park winner and she ticks all the boxes but like any of those big races they’re hard to win.”

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