The first Classic of the season takes place on Saturday at Newmarket. The 2000 Guineas was first run 216 years ago, and has never missed a year in between. Joe Napier runs the rule over this year’s 11-strong field and gives his verdict as some big connections go toe-to-toe.
Making his first start on turf, the trends-busting Notable Speech came from last to first to land the spoils for Charlie Appleby, William Buick and Godolphin 12 months ago.
Gosden Aims To Break Unusual Duck
Despite training milers of the ilk of Kingman and Palace Pier in the past, John Gosden, now training in partnership with son Thady, has never won the 2000 Guineas. Kingman came closest when downed in extraordinary circumstances by Night Of Thunder 11 years ago, but he has the favourite of the 11 this time with Field Of Gold, who shot to the top of the betting two-and-a-half weeks ago.
A son of Kingman, the grey glided over the Rowley Mile when powerfully winning the Craven Stakes on his seasonal return in April. The trend for him to overcome is that no winner of that trial has gone on to win the 2000 Guineas since 2004, while his draw could be less than ideal based on recent renewals. His juvenile form was decent if unspectacular, but he left some impression after the Craven, so has to be considered one of the liveliest contenders.
Powerful Operations Amass Their Challengers
Godolphin have won two of the last three 2000 Guineas’ and Ruling Court and Shadow Of Light both have plenty going for them in trying to defend the title for Charlie Appleby. The former was third in a red hot edition of York’s Acomb Stakes last season, behind Derby favourite The Lion In Winter, but he was inexperienced then and returned with what appeared a monstrous performance at Meydan. He is yet to go off at a price bigger than Evens, which suggests he is extremely highly thought of, but the draw in stall 11 could raise some doubts.
His reputation is only amplified by the fact that William Buick has chosen him over Dewhurst winner Shadow Of Light. However, the son of Earthlight saw out 7f on the Rowley Mile stoutly that day and on soft ground. A better surface does not appear to impede him though and he must have his chance for all he is the second choice.
Meanwhile, Aidan O’Brien is represented by just a single horse, which could well speak to the chances of Expanded. Ballydoyle do not have a great recent record in this race, having sent out beaten favourites for the last two years with tall reputations, but Expanded was second in the Dewhurst on just his second start, so learned quickly and could easily improve.
Irish Challenge Could Make an Impact
Two more Irish challengers have been declared in Scorthy Champ and Green Impact. The former is a Group 1 winner, having claimed the National Stakes at the Curragh for Joseph O’Brien, but. His full brother Knight stayed 1m too, though he was perhaps slightly fortunate to win that day and would need more to be in the frame.
Green Impact may have sturdier claims despite his bigger price. Jessica Harrington’s charge twice got the better of two-time Group 3 winner Delacroix as a two-year-old, with that horse well-fancied for the Derby. This son of Wootton Bassett sees out 1m strongly and should prove tactically versatile.
Could An Outsider Win for Second Straight Year?
Tornado Alert is another Godolphin chance, being trained by Saeed bin Suroor for the giant operation. He has only raced twice on the all-weather, both at age two, but has any amount of improvement to come for all this should be a step too far too soon.
Of the rest, Wimbledon Hawkeye is a solid performer, and beat Ruling Court at two, but there are multiple reasons why that form could easily be overturned and Field Of Gold holds him on Craven running. That is also the case for Benevento, a Listed winner as a juvenile, but who was only fourth in the Craven and should find this a bridge too far.
Seagulls Eleven held his own in Group 1 company behind Scorthy Champ, but then tailed off at the end of 2024. He was not disgrace in the Dewhurst from the wrong side of the draw though and is by a Guineas winner in Galileo Gold, while Yah Mo Be There is another Listed scorer, but surely a class below some of these on the evidence of his Greenham fifth on return.
2000 Guineas Betting Offers
| Bookmaker | Offer |
| Betfred | Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets |
| SkyBet | Bet 5p Get £30 in Free Bets |
| Paddy Power | Bet £5 Get £30 in Free Bets |
| BetMGM | Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets |
Verdict
Although the impact of the draw is always worth monitoring on 2000 Guineas day, there is enough to hope RULING COURT can overcome stall 11 even if turns into a negative. William Buick has chosen him over the Dewhurst winner in stablemate Shadow Of Light, which says a lot about the regard he is held in. His six-length Meydan win may only have been a hint of what is to come from a colt bought for 2.3 million Euros as a two-year-old. Shadow Of Light is drawn on the other side and could easily come into contention as the highest-rated in the field, while Field Of Gold is respected in his quest to give the Gosdens a belated first winner in this race and be the first Craven-Guineas double scorer in 21 years. Green Impact is preferred of the three Irish challengers, with Seagulls Eleven the most intriguing outsider.
- Ruling Court
- Green Impact
- Shadow Of Light
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