In 2000 Guineas, a Task Force set out to imitate exalted parents
Task Force, who succeeded in a racecourse gallop at Newbury on Monday, will be ready to go for his Qipco 2000 Guineas challenge.
When visiting Newmarket in the autumn of last year, the Middle Park runner-up found sprint star Vandeek to be too good. Now, he's getting ready to go up to a mile when he returns to the Rowley Mile for the first Classic of the season.
The son of Frankel trained by Ralph Beckett is bred to be a Guineas contender, even though he has only raced at six furlongs in his three starts at two. His dam, Special Duty, was the 2010 1000 Guineas winner, and his sire is a champion at the home of racing.
After completing the last details of his Guineas preparations with a six-furlong racecourse sighter, Task Force's connections are now excitedly anticipating his May 4 shot at glory.
“The gallop went well and the horse did everything Ralph wanted him to do,” mentioned European racing manager for owners Juddmonte, Barry Mahon. “He worked six furlongs and Ralph came away happy with the horse and it leaves him on track for the Guineas on Saturday week. He is bred to win a Classic as he’s by a Guineas winner out of a Guineas winner and there are not many horses who boast a pedigree like that. He’s a nice horse and showed good form last year. He’s done well from two to three and has changed shape a lot. We feel he definitely doesn’t look like a sprinter and last year he was a bit keen and a bit mentally immature, so we kept him to six furlongs and he had the talent to be able to perform over that distance. Now we’re looking forward to seeing if he can be just as effective to win over a mile.”
Task Force's odds for the 2000 Guineas are as short as 12-1, and since no horse has leapt out of the pack with a standout showing at the recent trials, the connections are hoping to have one of the unexposed contenders who can shape up well against the formidable power of City of Troy and Rosallion.
Mahon continued: “We’re under no illusions and it’s going to be a hard task to beat the two at the top of the market who both look exceptionally talented colts, but it’s a Classic and we have a horse who has shown Group One form and who we think will stay a mile so we have to give it a go and we’re excited to run him. We won’t find out until the day whether we’re up to that standard or not, but it’s nice to be able to partake and if there are any weaknesses in the top two, then we hope we are there to pick up the pieces.”