From Trials to Triumph? Assessing the 2,000 Guineas Contenders

[Wandering Eyes]

Classic trials may be about as fashionable as corduroy these days but I still love both, so it has been a riveting few weeks considering which of the three-year-olds may be about to take a big step forwards or may already have shown their best.

People love racing for different reasons but attempting to know the unknowable is a major draw, and those puzzles are there for all involved in different facets of the game, from breeders to owners, trainers or punters.

Whether through formal trials, racecourse gallops, or stable visits, a clearer picture is emerging of a number of the colts who are likely to line up at Newmarket in just over a fortnight's time for the Classic first run back in 1809.

The Juddmonte team has some decision-making to do after three impressive wins from Field Of Gold (Craven), Jonquil (Greenham) and Cosmic Year. It would seem unlikely, though, that Field Of Gold will not return to the Rowley Mile on May 3 unless the ground came up too firm for the big, powerful colt.

It is 21 years since the Craven winner, in this case Shadwell's Haafhd (GB), went on to win the 2,000 Guineas. He also won the Champion Stakes, back in the days when people saw the sense in running this special race on the free-draining turf of Newmarket. But that's another story.

Recent Craven winners have fared well in subsequent Classics, however. Masar (Ire) was third in the Guineas before winning the Derby. Master Of The Seas (Ire) was beaten a short-head by Poetic Flare (Ire) in the 2,000 Guineas. Native Trail (GB) was second at Newmarket to stable-mate Coroebus (Ire) before winning the Irish Guineas, and last year's winner Haatem (Ire), was third in the Guineas and beaten a head in the Irish Guineas.

The most recent winner of the Greenham Stakes to go on to victory in the 2,000 Guineas was the great Frankel (GB), whose victory that day at Newmarket is still jaw-droppingly fresh in the mind, some 14 years on from his audacious performance. The 2014 Greenham winner Kingman (GB) tasted defeat only once in his splendid racing career and that was when beaten half a length by Night Of Thunder (Ire) in the 2,000 Guineas of 2014 before going on to a five-length success in the Irish equivalent. Kingman and Night Of Thunder have both become hugely sought-after stallions and have the favourites respectively for this year's Betfred 2,000 Guineas and Betfred 1,000 Guineas.

Borrowing an idea from our American colleagues and their excellent TDN Kentucky Derby Top 20, let's refresh our memories on some of the leading colts here after a couple of weeks of interesting pointers. We'll look at the fillies in tomorrow's edition.

Field Of Gold (GB)
Kingman (GB) – Princess De Lune (Ire) (Shamardal)

Stands out from the crowd and not just because he's big and light grey. His finishing flourish in the Craven was a sight to behold, and he has enough two-year-old form in the book (including a G3 Solario Stakes victory) to feel that he has the requisite experience but with plenty of hope for more to come. He jumped around a bit when Kieran Shoemark was about to be legged up in the paddock on Wednesday and the jockey subsequently hopped aboard in the chute out to the racecourse, but Field Of Gold's behaviour thereafter was exemplary, so let's hope that was just a flash of exuberance at being back in the game. Could he be a first 2,000 Guineas winner for trainer John Gosden and for his sire Kingman? The bookies think so.
Current odds with sponsor Betfred: 11/4 favourite

Twain (Ire)
Wootton Bassett (GB) – Wading (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire})

He's only been seen in public twice, winning his maiden by six lengths at Leopardstown, and then eight days later when he landed the G1 Criterium International over a mile in heavy ground at Saint-Cloud. Maranoa Charlie (Fr) was more than 10 lengths behind him that day and he has subsequently won the G3 Prix Djebel on April 8. During a press day at Ballydoyle on Monday, the easy-moving Twain looked relaxed and happy in his home environment with rider Rachel Richardson, and he has a physique that suggests he will cope readily with stepping up beyond a mile in time. Goes straight to the Guineas without a prep run.
Current odds: 5/1

Shadow Of Light (GB)
Lope De Vega (Ire) – Winters Moon (New Approach {Ire})

The European champion two-year-old whose wins in the Middle Park and Dewhurst put him well out in front on all known form. His trainer Charlie Appleby has fielded others in trials but this colt is heading straight to the Guineas with five runs and four wins under his belt at two. He did however step out on the Rowley Mile on Wednesday morning for a racecourse gallop. He's not the biggest but he is compact, strong and looked well. His trainer seems fairly confident that he will handle stepping up to a mile. Shadow Of Light's three-parts-brother and fellow dual Group 1-winning juvenile Earthlight (Ire) never raced beyond 7f, but that colt's full-brother, the far less exalted Callisto Moon (Ire), has been placed in the French provinces at 1m7f. Genetics, eh?
Current odds: 7/1

Scorthy Champ (Ire)
Mehmas (Ire) – Fidahaa (Ire) (New Approach {Ire})

Beat subsequent Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Henri Matisse (Ire) and Seagulls Eleven (Ire) in the G1 National Stakes on his third and final start at two and is reportedly heading straight to the 2,000 Guineas for trainer Joseph O'Brien. His 46-rated dam never threatened to enter a winner's enclosure in four starts but she has been a dinger at stud and, in partnership with Mehmas, she has also produced G3 Prix Imprudence winner and G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Fillies runner-up Malavath (Ire) and G3 Harris Hill winner Knight (Ire).
Current odds: 8/1 

Ruling Court
Justify – Inchargeofme (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire})

Was also on the Rowley Mile on Wednesday for a racecourse gallop moments after Shadow Of Light. Ruling Court won on debut at Sandown last July and then third to The Lion In Winter (who is reportedly heading to the Dante) in the G3 Acomb Stakes at York. An impressive winner of the Jumeirah 2,000 Guineas on the Meydan turf, the Arqana Breeze-up Sale topper (at €2.3m) is being primed by Charlie Appleby with the Derby in mind, but the trainer has cited the usefulness of the Guineas as a Derby trial so it would be no surprise to see him line up and challenge for a place.
Current odds: 10/1

 

Champion Juvenile Shadow Of Light on the Rowley Mile | Emma Berry

 

Cosmic Year (GB)
Kingman (GB) – Passage Of Time (GB) (Dansili {GB})

He's run twice and won twice – both in novice contests over 7f, at Sandown last September and Kempton on April 9. A 'notebook' horse from the start, on pedigree and performance, this half-brother to Time Test (GB) earned a TDN Rising Star on debut, and the faster-than-ideal ground at Newbury convinced trainer Harry Charlton to run on the all-weather for his 2025 return (along with the fact that Juddmonte also had Jonquil in the Greenham). Whether his relative inexperience will mean that connections opt to wait a week or more for the French or Irish Guineas remains to be seen, but Cosmic Year will be an exciting horse to follow.
Current odds: 10/1

Expanded (Ire)
Wootton Bassett (GB) – Jigsaw (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})

It would appear that stable-mates Henri Matisse and Camille Pissarro are more likely to head to France for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, with Expanded pencilled in to join Twain on the journey from Ballydoyle to Newmarket. He, too, made two rapid appearances last October, winning on debut at the Curragh over 7f and then finishing second to Shadow Of Light in the Dewhurst after The Lion In Winter (Ire) had been stood down. An imposing individual.
Current odds: 10/1

Jonquil (GB)
Kingman (GB) – Jovial (GB) (Dubawi {Ire})

Winner of a 7f Sandown maiden for Sir Michael Stoute last year, his first start for Andrew Balding came in the Greenham, which he won with apparent ease. Fans of the Frankel family will be hoping that he can follow his great uncle by landing the Greenham-2,000 Guineas double for a stable that has won the Newmarket Classic twice in the last five runnings.
Current odds: 14/1

Hotazhell (GB)
Too Darn Hot (GB) – Azenzar (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire})

Would not bet against him becoming a second-crop Classic winner for Too Darn Hot after Fallen Angel (GB) starred in his first crop, but whether that will be at Newmarket, the Curragh or Longchamp remains to be decided by trainer Jessica Harrington. A smart, neat colt who has a touch of the street fighter about him, as evidenced by his hard-fought win over Delacroix (Ire) in the G1 Futurity Trophy. Four wins from six starts last year, including a full house of Group wins at every level.
Current odds: 20/1

Wimbledon Hawkeye
Kameko – Eva Maria (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire})

I'm keeping the Kameko colts on the list for now as neither was disgraced in the Craven when finishing second and fifth respectively. Wimbledon Hawkeye was some way behind Hotazhell when fourth in the Futurity but he won the G2 Royal Lodge over the Guineas course and distance. Though he was no match for Field Of Gold in the Craven he can perhaps be forgiven for doing a little too much too soon, and will hopefully come on for that seasonal debut.
Current odds: 25/1

New Century
Kameko – Potent Embrace (Street Cry {Ire})

The second representative of Kameko, who won the 2,000 Guineas in 2020. Andrew Balding, whose stable can do little wrong at the moment, is on record saying that New Century thrives on his racing, and he put six starts under his belt at two. A Grade I winner over a mile last year at Woodbine, he was subsequently two lengths behind Henri Matisse when fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. New Century is on the small side, but if he is asked to take his chance in the Guineas, he wouldn't be the worst each-way bet at long odds.
Current odds: 66/1

Seagulls Eleven
Galileo Gold (GB) – Thrilled (Ire) (Kodiac {GB})

It was hard not to be taken with his physical appearance during a racecourse gallop prior to racing at Newmarket on Tuesday, and his performance there had trainer Hugo Palmer buzzing. A colt of some scope and balance, Seagulls Eleven is by his trainer's 2016 Guineas winner Galileo Gold and, though he won over 7f in June last year, his pedigree does lean more towards the sprinting side. His half-sister Platinum Queen (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) won the Prix de l'Abbaye and full-sister Fool's Gold (Ire) is a 5f maiden winner. Placed finishes in the National Stakes and Dewhurst certainly give him every right to line up for the Guineas.
Current odds: 40/1

 

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