The first Gr1 of the British flat season, the QIPCO 2000 Guineas on Saturday is run over the Rowley mile at Newmarket.
Fifteen runners have accepted, the most notable omission being the Ballydole trained St Mark’s Basilica.
Shamrock writes that Aidan O’Brien still runs three in the classic – the Galileo colt Wembley, the new favourite and Ryan Moore’s ride has drawn eight.
The stablemates are the other well fancied Royal Ascot juvenile winner Battleground, a great pick-up ride for Frankie Dettori and Van Gogh.
Aidan O’Brien prepares for the first Gr1 of the British flat season. (Pic- Coolmore)
Thunder Moon drawn 10 is the second favourite from the Joseph O’Brien yard. An impressive winner of the Group 1 National stakes at the Curragh over 1400m on good going beating an equally fast finishing Wembley and Master of the Sea’s to be ridden by retained jock William Buick drawn right on the inside rail at 2. Thunder Moon quickened up best of all on that occasion and good ground would be to his advantage.
Godolphin and Charlie Appleby also run One Ruler with James Doyle in the irons. He went close in the Doncaster Group 1 Futurity Trophy over a mile.
Mutasaabeq, has been supplemented (a fee of £30,000) for the race after an impressive win earlier this month over the Newmarket 1400 on good going. Trained by Charlie Hills the son of Invincible Spirit will have no problem with the trip according to his jockey Jim Crowley.
Chindit from the Hannon stable who has won four from five starts and would appreciate the likely fast ground, but his only defeat came at this undulating track.
On Sunday, it’s the fillies equivalent, the QIPCO 1000 Guineas for which sixteen runners had accepted.
However, breaking news is that second favourite and highest rated runner Pretty Gorgeous is a non-runner.
Santa Barbara, Aidan O’Brien’s daughter of Camelot has only been seen on a racetrack once in her life, when making a winning debut at the Curragh in September.
However, huge ante-post support has seen her odds tumble to favourite. The hype may be right but riding arrangements have not been finalised by Aidan O’Brien and the stable have four runners in the race.
The front running Gr3 winner Alcohol Free represents the home front from the Andrew Balding stable and has won on the course must be considered along with Sacred trained by William Haggas and ridden by the inform Tom Marquand who ran on well to win the Gr3 Nell Gwyn on good ground here over 1400m a few days later.
At time of writing on Friday, no draws have been announced.
