Irish 1000 Guineas 2025 Preview – Runners Guide to Dozen Fillies Contesting Curragh Classic

A dozen fillies tackle the Irish 1000 Guineas of 2025 at the Curragh on Sunday, 25 May. Of those, a quarter of the field travel over to the Emerald Isle from Britain in search of Classic honours.

That contingent includes the second and third from the English equivalent of this held at Newmarket three weeks ago. Both represent burgeoning trainer Ollie Sangster with Flight and Simmering trying to land a first Classic for their young handler.

Up against those are fillies are a couple from the Ballydoyle stable of Aidan O’Brien. He has last year’s undisputed champion juvenile female Lake Victoria, who didn’t fire in Britain, and the returning January.

Dermot Weld is another multiple winner of the Irish Guineas, but he relies solely on the unbeaten Swelter in the Juddmonte colours. Amo Racing have a pair of runners with California Dreamer and Jaliyah, meanwhile.

Duty First carries colours successful in Ireland with sprinting star Bradsell for Hollie Doyle and Archie Watson over from Britain. Completing the line-up are Donnacha O’Brien inmate Atsila, Joseph Murphy’s Cercene, City Of Memphis from the Paddy Twomey stable, and Tamam Desert.

Like any Classic, there’s a mixture of talented juveniles and under the radar performers taking part. All of the leading horse racing betting sites have their say on proceedings with prices a guide to the market.

Enter our own experts for their view of the Curragh Group 1 contest. Read all about what they think of the fillies on show at home of Irish Flat horse racing below with a guide to all 12 and the verdict below…

Irish 1000 Guineas 2025 Runners Guide

1. Atsila

Twice raced and unbeaten filly with Group 3 course and distance success latest. Beat Cerene and California Dreamer on that occasion. Further progress can’t be ruled out as she could be anything still.

2. California Dreamer

Placed three times in Group races as a juvenile. Had eight goes in such company without winning. Poor 12th in Fred Darling at Newbury, but better fourth in Athasi Stakes behind Atsila and Cercene latest. Other Irish 2000 Guineas 2025 runners appeal more than this exposed type.

3. Cercene

Placed behind Swelter and Atsila around Leopardstown and over course and distance this spring. Shaped both times as though she might be better over further. Pedigree a mixture of speed and stamina. More needed to win this.

4. City Of Memphis

Easy odds-on winner of 6f Cork maiden winner on sole career start to date. Represents same connections as Purple Lily, who was fifth in this race 12 months ago. A difficult filly to assess, but relying on damsire for stamina. Dark horse of Irish 2000 Guineas in 2025.

5. Duty First

Dual 7f winner including in Group 3 company on reappearance. Supplemented for English Guineas without success off back of that Newbury victory. Stumbled 2f out at Newmarket, but appeared to be weakening at the time. Stamina doubts on breeding and any rain may stretch that.

6. Flight

Placed in the May Hill Stakes and Oh So Sharp last autumn. Ran a blinder in defeat on reappearance when runner-up to old rival Desert Flower in the English equivalent of this. Represents the best of that Newmarket form now. Good chance of going one better in the Irish 1000 Guineas of 2025, if building and coming on for the run.

7. Jaliyah

In the same part-ownership as California Dreamer. Won over further at Cork, then runner-up in the Naas Oaks Trial latest. Dropping back in trip not an obvious next step, but jockey booking catches the eye. An intriguing outsider, albeit one with lots to find on official ratings.

8. January

Won over unique distance of 7.5 furlongs in Listed company around Tipperary as a juvenile before two seconds in Group races to Desert Flower. Only one of the Irish 1000 Guineas 2025 field that hasn’t had a run. Needed her first start before winning last term. Apparent stable second string.

9. Lake Victoria

Phenomenal as a juvenile, winning three Group / Grade 1s over as many different distances. Only sixth on reappearance in the English Guineas, but expected to take a big step forward fitness-wise from that. The filly all other must beat, and 7lb and upwards clear of the field on official figures.

10. Simmering

Group winner as a juvenile on good to firm and soft going. Chased home Lake Victoria here in the Moyglare Stud Stakes. Disappointing reappearance left behind with fine third in the Newmarket Guineas latest. Needed two runs before making it third time lucky last term. Drawn wide. No surprise if she improves again and defies that in the Irish 1000 Guineas of 2025, though.

11. Swelter

Two wins from two starts for Dermot Weld’s filly Swelter under @chrishayes24, who bolts up in the Group 3 @BallylinchStud “Priory Belle” Stakes, bringing up a double for the trainer and jockey combination 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QyxrXnYXyl

— Leopardstown RC (@LeopardstownRC) March 30, 2025

Unbeaten filly in two starts around Leopardstown including official 1000 Guineas Trial on reappearance and latest. Comfortable victory in that Group 3 contest from French Classic fourth, and that one ties her form in with Lake Victoria and Simmering. Open to plenty of further progress. Respected.

12. Tamam Desert

Galway 7f maiden winner on second and final start as a juvenile. Just got up close home. Never nearer fifth in Listed event at Naas, which is an Irish Oaks trial, on reappearance and latest. Hard to see her playing much of a role here off the lowest official rating.

Irish 1000 Guineas 2025 Shortlist & Verdict

If LAKE VICTORIA comes on for her Newmarket return to action now, then she is the class act in the line-up. Ballydoyle inmates have often left their reappearance efforts well behind them in Classics like this in recent seasons. Sangster boasts a strong hand against O’Brien, however, with Flight and Simmering both greatly feared on the bare form of the English Guineas.

Weld and Juddmonte combine with Swelter, who looks best of the dark horses in the line-up. January will probably need the run, while Duty First has to bounce back from her Newmarket flop. It’s a bold shout from Twomey pitching City Of Memphis in this deep right away. The remainder simply have too much to find on official ratings and all known form.

Michael Lee

Betting Expert

Michael Lee

Betting Expert

Michael has worked in the sports betting industry for many years. Following football, horse racing and track and field athletics, he has covered the last three Olympic Games, World Cups and other major sporting events.

All posts by Michael Lee