Homecoming the Guineas Queen

Aidan O'Brien landed his second Classic of the weekend as Homecoming Queen sprang a 25-1 shock in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

All the pre-race talk surrounded the Joseph O'Brien-ridden Maybe (13-8 favourite), but once her stablemate Homecoming Queen set off at a blistering gallop from an early stage she never looked to be too happy.

Ryan Moore kicked on again going into the dip aboard Ballydoyle's alleged second string, and the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor stretched nine lengths clear.

The John Gosden-trained Starscope ran out for second, with Maybe only third.

Aidan and Joseph O'Brien were successful 24 hours earlier when Camelot won the 2000 Guineas.

Moore, who was securing his first victory in the Newmarket fillies' Classic, said: "Aidan said she was very fit and very well.

"I thought I was going a stride too quick, but she just kept going.

"There's not much of her, but she tries very hard.

"She's very tough."

O'Brien said: "It's incredible. She's a very good filly."

Aidan O'Brien was claiming his second 1000 Guineas victory after Virginia Waters struck in 2005.

There was, however, a 30-minute delay to the race as Gray Pearl, trained by Charlie Hills, became lodged beneath her starting gate.

The horse remained on the turf for some time before being taken away in a horse ambulance.

Course officials later confirmed she had been put down.

Moore went straight for the jugular aboard the half-sister to Dylan Thomas, who won a Leopardstown Guineas Trial last time out.

By halfway the partnership were around four lengths clear, with the likes of Lightening Pearl, Alla Speranza and Maybe close up.

However, Moore kicked on again approaching the dip and it was soon obvious that nothing was coming out of the pack to chase her down.

The rest finished in a heap, with Starscope and The Fugue, also trained by Gosden, separated by Maybe.

O'Brien said: "She's a hardy, tough filly with a great pedigree. "In the last couple of weeks she's gone into a different zone.

"When Seamus (Heffernan) won on her last year he said she could be very smart.

"Joseph won a Listed race on her at the Curragh and said she had a massive engine.

"We went to the Breeders' Cup with her after that but she was entitled to be tired there.

"She ran first time up at the Curragh when she got a little bit tired, but won nicely at Leopardstown.

"It was an incredible performance and Joseph said she was the filly he was most worried about as she would be going off in front and it was Maybe's first run.

"I was delighted with Maybe, too."

Gosden said of his pair: "I was thrilled with both my fillies, who will go further in time and will want a longer trip.

"They've run great but, unfortunately, The Fugue has been struck into on her hind leg and I hope she'll be OK.

"Starscope has run well and is a nice prospect."

Jockey Jimmy Fortune said of Starscope: "My filly ran a great race, but we never saw where the winner had gone."

William Buick said of The Fugue: "I'm very happy with her.

"She ran really well but it was a rough race in the early stages and the ground was not ideal for her.

"She will improve in time."

Joseph O'Brien felt Maybe was perhaps lacking in race fitness.

He said: "She travelled into the race well but she just got a bit tired on the ground which is getting softer all the time."