Newmarket hosts first Classic of the British season
The British Flat season kicks earnestly into gear today with the running of the first Classic of the season, Newmarket’s 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m).
Returning to its regular spot in the calendar, having been run last year on June 6 after Covid-19 brought a halt to British racing, a field of 15 will line up on the Rowley Mile in search of the coveted prize.
Represented by a strong three-pronged attack, Aidan O’Brien will be out to win his fourth 2,000 Guineas in five years, and 11th in total.
Stakes maiden Wembley (Galileo) surged to the top of the betting markets after leading Ballydoyle jockey Ryan Moore picked him as his partner, but at a general 4-1 price is by no means the clear favourite in an open race.
Having been beaten in his first three starts last season, Wembley got off the mark in a Roscommon maiden (7.5f) in August and followed that up with two runner-up efforts in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) and Dewhurst Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) at Newmarket in October.
Making his seasonal return today, Wembley, the highest rated horse in the race at 118 and a brother to Group 1 winner Johannes Vermeer, steps up to a mile for the first time, whereas his stablemate Battleground (War Front) already has experience over the trip.
Last seen finishing runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (Gr 1, 8f) at Keeneland, Battleground returns under Frankie Dettori today, who takes the ride for the first time.
A winner of the Vintage Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) at Goodwood last year, Battleground is the only foal to date out of the remarkable racemare Found (Galileo), who won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr 1, 2400m) in 2016.
Completing the Ballydoyle trio is Van Gogh (American Pharoah), winner of the Criterium International (Gr 1, 1600m) at Saint-Cloud on his last start in October.
Out of Irish 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) and Epsom Oaks (Gr 1, 1m 4f) winner Imagine (Sadler’s Wells), Van Gogh is a half-brother to Group 1 winner Horatio Nelson (Danehill) and Group 2 winners Kitty Matcham (Rock Of Gibraltar) and Viscount Nelson (Giant’s Causeway).
On the chances of race favourite Wembley, O’Brien said: “The plan was always to come back here after the Dewhurst, when he would have preferred better ground and was maybe drawn a little out of it. Everything went well with him over the winter and through the spring. Ryan knows him well and we’re very happy with him.”
O’Brien is expecting conditions to suit Battleground: “He ran very well in America. He just got caught in a little bit of traffic early and maybe ended up a little bit further back than Ryan would have liked but he ran very well. He’s by War Front so he should like the ground.”
On Van Gogh, the outsider of his trio, O’Brien added: “He’s a big, good-moving horse and we always thought that he would get further than a mile.”
Joseph O’Brien will be aiming to continue the 2,000 Guineas success of his family by scoring his first win in the Classic as a trainer with Thunder Moon (Zoffany), who sat on the second line of betting yesterday evening.
O’Brien, who rode Camelot (Montjeu) to victory in the 2012 running of the Guineas, will be hoping Thunder Moon can re-turn the tables on Wembley as the pair meet for the third time.
Thunder Moon came out on top when they first met in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, but he finished a place behind Wembley when they were both beaten by St Mark’s Basilica (Siyouni), a notable absentee from today’s contest, in the Dewhurst.
Joseph O’Brien said: “We’re excited and we think he’s the right type of horse for the race. He’s a mature, pacey type and we think a mile is probably going to be a good trip for him so we’re excited.”
The Shadwell-owned Mutasaabeq (Invincible Spirit), an impressive winner at Newmarket last month, will bid to land a poignant success after the death of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum last month.
He is unbeaten from two starts as he steps into stakes company for the first time. Out of 2009 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) winner Ghanaati (Giant’s Causeway), Mutasaabeq is a half-brother to Wafy (Dubawi), a Group 3 winner in Meydan last year.
Trainer Charlie Hills said: “I’ve been delighted with the way in which he’s come out of his Newmarket win. He has trained well since, and he’s got a good draw in stall 12.
“He’s had two runs on that track, and we know he handles it well which is a big plus going into a Guineas. He’s facing a lot better competition now, but I’m very happy with him.”
Godolphin throw three darts at the Guineas, with all colts being Charlie Appleby-trained sons of Dubawi (Dubai Millennium).
One Ruler will be ridden by James Doyle and is the highest rated of the trio after finishing runner-up in the Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes (Gr 1, 1m) in October.
Master Of The Seas, the mount of William Buick, has already had a busy start to the season compared to many of his competitors, finishing second behind reopposing stablemate Naval Crown in the Meydan Classic (Listed, 1600m), before landing the Craven Stakes (Gr 3, 1m) over course and distance on April 15.
Naval Crown is judged to be a rank outsider by the bookmakers after being beaten a neck by Tactical (Toronado) in the European Free Handicap (Listed, 7f) at Newmarket last month.
Appleby is confident conditions will suit One Ruler. “One Ruler’s preparation has gone great and it’s an exciting ride for James [Doyle] to pick up,” he said. “We are looking forward to getting him going as a three-year-old.
“We were actually slightly concerned about soft ground before he won the Autumn Stakes and it was testing at Doncaster. We have no concerns about returning to a quicker surface.”
On his other two runners, Appleby added: “We have been delighted with how Master Of The Seas has come out of the Craven and he ticks a lot of boxes going into this. He looks great physically and continues to show us his wellness.
“We put some thought into whether to run Naval Crown but feel that his win over Master Of The Seas at Meydan is a strong piece of form. He certainly doesn’t look out of place in the field.”
2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes (Listed, 7f) winner Poetic Flare (Dawn Approach) is not without a chance, while new Coolmore Australia shuttle stallion Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) will have the chance to add a first British Classic winner to his burgeoning stud CV, through Greenham Stakes (Gr 3, 7f) winner Chindit and the Roger Varian-trained Legion Of Honour.
Middle Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) runner-up Lucky Vega (Lope De Vega), who is owned by Yuesheng Zhang’s Yulong Investments and will likely stand on their Nagambie-stud roster in Victoria this year, will have the chance to add further Group 1 success, after winning the Phoenix Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) last year. The Jessica Harrington-trained son of Lope De Vega (Shamardal) is an 18-1 chance.
Devilwala (Kodiac), Mystery Smiles (Mehmas) and Albadri (Dandy Man) complete the line up.
The 15 runners will break at 3.40pm local time (12.40am AEST).