Top French jockey Christophe Lemaire is confident of adding the Stan James 1000 Guineas to his list of big-race victories at Newmarket on Sunday.

All four of Lemaire’s winners at HQ have been at Group 1 level, and he rides the Pascal Bary-trained Natagora, currently a 4/1 chance with the sponsors, in the first fillies’ Classic this weekend.

He told the Racing Post: “I think I have a good chance to keep my record, because Natagora showed she was the best filly last year and this year she made a very good reappearance over seven furlongs, a trip she never ran over last year.

“The way she ran was very good, because she was relaxed and behind another horse. She quickened very well to make the difference over the last one and a half furlongs.

“She knows the track, which is a very good point. I hope the ground will be good, because she seems better on good ground.

“There is no problem at all with the filly. We are very confident. All we need is a little bit of luck and she will do the rest.

“It’s only because I rode some fantastic horses like Pride, Starcraft, Literato and Natagora that I have such a good record at Newmarket. Everybody knows that you need a very good horse to win a Group 1 anywhere in the world, and the ones I rode at Newmarket were all champions.

“I would be very proud to win a Classic in England. It’s been a long time since a French contender won the 1000 Guineas, so it would be very good for us to win a race like that for France.”
(Source: Sporting Life)