Musical Times the New 1,000 Guineas Favourite After Impressive May Hill Victory
Thursday saw the 2026 St Leger Festival roll onto the Town Moor track at Doncaster. The fillies took centre stage on the opening day, with the Group 2 double bill of the Park Hill Stakes and May Hill Stakes. Held over the St Leger course and distance, the Park Hill Stakes whetted the appetite ahead of Saturday’s headline contest. However, the Newmarket Classic of the 1,000 Guineas was the topic of conversation following a sensational performance in the May Hill Stakes.
Arriving with a perfect two-for-two record, Charlie Appleby’s Musical Times produced a dazzling display which left her ten rivals trailing in her wake. Just one of a host of promising Charlie Appleby Godolphin youngsters before the race, she is now out on her own at the head of the 2027 1,000 Guineas market.
Delivers on Pedigree Promise in Style
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Dist. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Musical Times | William Buick | Charlie Appleby | – |
| 2nd | Scommessa Sicura | Oisin Murphy | Andrew Balding | +7½ lengths |
| 3rd | Speckles | Ryan Moore | Aidan O’Brien | +1 length (8½) |
Musical Times boasts a typically appealing pedigree for a runner carrying the famous royal blue silks of Godolphin. Sire Lope De Vega completed the French 2,000 Guineas/Derby double in 2010, while her dam Dubai Fountain won the Listed Cheshire Oaks in 2021. Overall, a solid pedigree, but far from the most impressive in the Appleby yard.
In addition to the promise of her pedigree page, Musical Times had the added plus point of having shown she could actually run. Getting up to score by a neck on debut at Newmarket in June, she backed that up with success by just short of two lengths in a novice event at Yarmouth. Stepping up from Class 3 company to a Group 2 event demanded significantly more on her return from a 70-day break. However, punters kept the faith with the rising star, seeing Musical Times start as the clear 7/4 favourite.
Among the opposition were the Aidan O’Brien filly Speckles, Beguiled from the John and Thady Gosden operation, and Andrew Balding’s Sommessa Sicura, who lost out by just a neck to Musical Times in June. Promising performers, one and all, but they were firmly overshadowed by the market leader.
Initially travelling well in the far side group as the field split into two, the mount of William Buick sat five lengths off the lead in fifth at halfway. Moving onto the heels of the leader at the two-furlong pole, Musical Times revealed the full extent of her talent. Hitting the front in the blink of an eye, she put seven and a half lengths between herself and the field in a performance which oozed the wow factor.
Appleby Impressed as Odds Compilers React
This win represented the second May Hill success for Charlie Appleby. Clearly delighted with the performance, the Newmarket handler compared Musical Times favourably with his previous winner of the race, stating, “I see no reason why she’s not a 1,000 Guineas filly – and I see her more of one than Desert Flower was.”
Considering Desert Flower came home in front in the 1,000 Guineas in 2025, it is perhaps understandable that the bookies were quick to take evasive action. As big as 25/1 for the Newmarket Classic before the race, Musical Times was immediately trimmed to a general 12/1. That 12/1 soon tumbled to 5/1 and, by the morning after the race, she was as short as 4/1 in places.
Group 1 Company Awaits
This visually impressive performance has lit the touchpaper for an assault on Group 1 contests in the remainder of her juvenile season and on into her Classic campaign. On this evidence, Musical Times may possess the talent to emulate the exploits of the following 21st-century May Hill winners, who all went on to strike at the highest level.
- Simply Perfect (2006) – This Jeremy Noseda-trained filly followed up her May Hill success with Group 1 glory in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket. At three, she finished a solid third behind Finsceal Beo in the 1,000 Guineas and added a second Group 1 in the Falmouth Stakes
- Rainbow View (2008) – Representing trainer John Gosden and owner George Strawbridge, Rainbow View rounded off her unbeaten juvenile season with a win in the Fillies’ Mile. Beaten in her first five starts at three, she finally added to her top-level tally in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown
- Laurens (2017) – One of the greatest fillies to ever hail from Karl Burke’s North Yorkshire yard, Laurens built on her May Hill triumph to strike six times in Group 1 company. Highlights included the Fillies’ Mile, Prix de Diane, and Sun Chariot Stakes
- Inspiral (2021) – Successful for John & Thady Gosden, this daughter of Frankel matched Laurens’ tally of six Group 1 wins. Sporting the famous Chevely Park silks, her Group 1 collection began with the 2021 Fillies’ Mile and ended with the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
- Desert Flower (2024) – Sharing a trainer with Musical Times, Desert Flower followed up her May Hill Stakes success with a five-and-a-half-length romp in the Fillies’ Mile before winning the 1,000 Guineas on her first start at three
Will Musical Times follow in the footsteps of these May Hill Stakes success stories? Her next step takes her to Newmarket for the Fillies’ Mile on Friday 9 October.