GUINEAS REPORTS:THE FIRST Classic weekend of 2010 may not have thrown up the potential superstar so many people predicted St Nicholas Abbey might be, but the drama quotient could hardly have been higher at Newmarket yesterday as the French favourite, Special Duty, got the 1,000 Guineas in the stewards' room.

Beaten a nose by the 66 to 1 outsider Jacqueline Quest, initial amazement at the longest-priced “winner” in the 196-year history of the fillies Classic, quickly morphed into a tumult of emotions as Special Duty was awarded the race by the stewards.

The officials decided Jacqueline Quest had taken Special Duty across the track, costing the French horse more than she was beaten, and threw out the home filly who would otherwise have provided legendary Newmarket trainer Henry Cecil with a seventh success in the race.

It was an especially cruel piece of luck for Jacqueline Quest’s owner Noel Martin, a Jamaican Briton, who was left quadriplegic after a racist attack in Germany 14 years ago, and who named the winner after his wife who died of cancer 10 years ago.

As the stewards decision was announced, Martin could be seen having tears wiped away, just as Special Duty’s trainer, Criquette Head-Maarek, was coming to terms with having secured a fourth victory in the 1,000 Guineas. The decision also put a seal on a vintage weekend for France at Newmarket following Makfi’s 33 to 1 surprise victory in Saturday’s 2,000 Guineas.

Queally also got a three-day ban for careless riding from the stewards, an almost inevitable penalty considering he didn’t switch his whip from his left hand when Jacqueline Quest started to drift.

It only added to a tumultuous race in which Jim Bolger’s well-backed outsider, Gile Na Greine, made the most of being drawn near the stands rail to finish a running-on third, just half a length behind the principals. “They should make it nine furlongs and turn it into a proper Classic!” said Bolger who could aim Gile Na Greine at the Musidora Stakes next.

However, after the field split into two groups, those marooned towards the centre of the track were left bemoaning the impact of the draw on ground that had changed to good to soft from Saturday’s good to firm.

On the faster surface 24 hours earlier Makfi kicked off the Gallic domination with an authoritative display that no doubt would have had purists purring if it had been St Nicholas Abbey who provided it. Aidan O’Brien’s champion two-year-old could finish only sixth behind the Mikel Delzangles-trained winner whose maintenance of his own unbeaten record was a triumph for those smaller operators on the flat.

In fact it’s fair to assume there is some embarrassment in Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell organisation who allowed Makfi go to the sales last October where he made just 26,000 guineas. The Sheikh’s number one hope on Saturday, Awzaan, beat only four home.

Yesterday O’Brien pointed to the slow early pace as a contributing factor to St Nicholas Abbey’s defeat and said: “The race turned into a sprint. St Nicholas Abbey ran quite well considering he was a bit fresh early. He was coming home well and if everything goes according to plan, we will aim him at the Derby.”

St Nicholas Abbey has drifted out to 4 to 1 with most firms for Epsom.

Criquette Head-Maarek admitted yesterday: “It is fantastic that both Guineas have been won by the French but I don’t imagine the British will see it like that!”

There’s unlikely to be much “va va voom” about it in Co Tipperary either.