The first weekend of May officially starts the UK Flat season with Newmarket racecourse hosting the 2000 Guineas.
City Of Troy tops 14 six-day entries for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas, run over the Rowley mile on Saturday.
City Of Troy tops 14 six-day entries for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas (Pic – Racing TV)
The Justify colt was Timeform’s leading juvenile last year and is no bigger than 4/6 to make a winning reappearance in the first Classic of the season. If successful, he would join Frankel as one of only two odds-on winners of this race in the last 30 years.
Aidan O’Brien’s charge won all three starts as a juvenile, including the Gr1 Dewhurst at this track. The trainer has also left Diego Velazquez, the unbeaten Henry Longfellow, and River Tiber in the race.
In-form Richard Hannon could be double-handed with second favourite Rosallion and recent Craven winner Haatem. The trainer is very bullish about chances of his Blue Point colt Rosallion, especially after stablemate Haatem landed the Gr3 Craven Stakes in convincing style. The trainer stated after Haatem’s latest success that on work at home Rosallion is superior.
The Godolphin operation have a sole representative in the form of the Charlie Appleby trained Notable Speech. Unbeaten in three starts at Kempton earlier this season, the Dubawi colt quickened in classy fashion to win a conditions-race in style.
Night Raider has been impressive in two starts on the all-weather for Karl Burke, and the trainer is hoping his runner is drawn near to the favourite.
Burke said of the unbeaten Dark Angel colt: “He’s a lovely animal and whatever he does on Saturday he’ll keep improving through the year, he’s got a lot of scope, and I’m sure he’s a Group 1 horse in the making.”
“I don’t think I’ve seen a horse work better than him in the 23 years we’ve been up here (in Middleham).”
“It’s his first run of turf and his first proper gallop on turf was at the Craven meeting there the other week. He came out of that really well; we took him for experience, and he ran down the hill well.”
The Jeff Smith owned Ghostwriter has been impressing connections this spring in the leadup to Saturday. Unbeaten in three starts including the Gr2 Royal Lodge over course and distance, the son of Invincible Spirit looks a realistic threat to the Ballydoyle favourite. His trainer Clive Cox is very upbeat and is looking forward to the contest.
Runner-up to City of Troy in the Dewhurst, Alyanaabi is set to re-oppose. The Shadwell Estate owned Too Darn Hot colt was convincingly beaten by over three-lengths at this course over seven-furlongs, but trainer Owen Burrows is keen to challenge once more over the extra furlong.
Iberian, Inisherin, Task Force and Ten Bob Tony complete the possible field.
