Gossamer Gets Her Guineas Win

Gerald Leigh's homebred Gossamer made amends for her eighth-place finish in the Sagitta One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) with a 4 1/2-length romp in the Irish equivalent Sunday at The Curragh. Under Jamie Spencer, the 3-year-old daughter of Sadler's Wells completed the group I mile race in 1:45.5 on soft to heavy turf.

Gossamer settled in mid-pack then moved closer after six furlongs before going to the lead with a furlong to run. Quarter Moon finished second, a length ahead of Starbourne. Pacesetter Alstemeira finished fourth, with French 1,000 Guineas winner Zenda last of 15.

Gossamer's win marks the fourth in five starts for the full sister of Irish 2,000 Guineas (Ire-I) and Breeder's Cup Mile (gr. IT) winner Barathea. She is trained by Luca Camani.

"Gossamer hasn't really come to herself yet," Cumani told Racing Post. "You can see that in her coat, and I don't think she is exclusively a soft ground filly. We hope she will prove that in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

"She is a filly with no quirks and riding her in a race must be like riding a motorbike. She is the most perfect racing machine."

The Entenmann's Irish One Thousand Guineas marks her second start of the year. Last year, she won all three of her races, including the Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile (Eng-I) at Ascot in September.

Gossamer was sent of as the 4-1 favorite, just ahead of 9-2 Quarter Moon.

Aidan O'Brien, who sent out the top three finishers in Saturday's Irish 2,000 Guineas, trains the second-, third-, and fourth-place finishers in Sunday's race.

Leigh, who was is suffering from cancer and not in attendance, has pledged Gossamer's earnings to the charity Cancerbacup, according to Racing Post. The charity is listed as the filly's co-owner.

"It means a lot to win a Classic for Mr. Leigh," Spencer told the Racing Post. "When I first went to ride in England he was one of the first owners to put me up on his horses."