1,000 Guineas gamble Santa Barbara "dominating" every horse she works with

No horse can live with gambled on 1,000 Guineas favourite Santa Barbara on the Ballydoyle gallops, Aidan O'Brien says.

The training maestro admits he does not know how good the 13-8 market leader for the Classic is, as she cannot be fully tested at home.

Santa Barbara has only been out on the racecourse once, when she won a maiden by two-and-a-half lengths at the Curragh last September.

O'Brien, speaking on a press call ahead of the race, part of the QIPCO British Champions Series, said: "Anything she works with she always looks to be going easier than it, no matter what we have worked her with.

"She has never been really asked or looked at to see how much is in there but whatever she works with she always looks to be dominating them at the moment.

"I suppose everyone will be excited to see what does happen when she comes off the bridle really, that's what everyone was always waiting to see.

"Obviously when she will come off it it will be very interesting.

"It's a Guineas so it's going to happen at some point really."

The half-sister to Iridessa, who raced to Group 1 glory for O’Brien’s son Joseph, was as big as 33-1 in ante-post books before her odds plunged.

Ryan Moore will take the ride, while stablemate Mother Earth is the mount of Frankie Dettori.

O'Brien did sound a note of caution that the favourite could be "green" and might have benefited from a prep run – but he hopes her raw ability will see her through.

"I suppose she always looked very special last year and as of all the two-year-old fillies she was probably towards the top of the pecking order," he added.

"She only had the one run but obviously on her homework she was always very impressive and very exceptional, but she has only had one run.

"She's a very strong traveller through her race."

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