On her three-year-old debut, Las Meninas defeated Balanchine to win the Classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse becoming the first Irish winner since 1975.
[1] Las Meninas, who was named after the painting by Velasquez, was sent into training with the former National Hunt jockey Tommy Stack at Golden, County Tipperary.
Ridden by Craine again, Las Meninas was hampered in the early stages but made progress to challenge for the lead in the final furlong, before finishing second to Turtle Island by half a length.
Among the outsiders was Balanchine, a filly who had been sold by Robert Sangster to Sheikh Mohammed and sent to join the still-experimental Godolphin team in Dubai.
[4] Three and a half weeks after her Newmarket win, Las Meninas started favourite for the Irish 1,000 Guineas on softer ground at the Curragh.
[7][8] In June Las Meninas started favourite for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot but finished fifth of the ten runners.