The first classic race of the season is on the horizon and is always a highly anticipated clash at the home of flat racing, Newmarket. Both the 2000 and 1000 Guineas are run over the straight mile, and dealing with the undulations of the Rowley Mile and the wide expanse of the course is a true test for these three-year-old colts.
Key Form -
The Group 1 Dewhurst form from last season looks the key to the race, with the first three home making up three of the first six in the betting. It’s been a great trial race down the years, with many future 2000 Guineas winners having won the Group 1 prize.
Notable previous winners of the Dewhurst who went on to gain 2000 Guineas glory –
Rock Of Gibraltar – 1st
Frankel – 1st
Dawn Approach – 1st
Churchill – 1st
Chaldean – 1st
Stats & Trends
- Aidan O’Brien has won four of the last ten renewals.
- Charlie Appleby has won two of the last three renewals.
- Aidan O’Brien has won the race eight times.
- Nine of the last twelve winners won on their last run before the 2000 Guineas.
- Seven of the last twelve winners had at least one previous run at Newmarket.
- Seven of the last twelve winners have had at least one Group 1 win to their name.
Contenders
The Charlie Appleby-trained, SHADOW OF LIGHT, represents last year’s winning connections. The well-bred, Godolphin son of Lope De Vega, has made a very good impression so far in his career, winning four of his five starts. A dual Group 1 winner as a two-year-old, he blew his rivals away in the Middle Park Stakes, before digging deep to win the Dewhurst Stakes, showing another side to his game. He looks an exciting prospect having been crowned the champion two-year-old colt last season and ticks a lot of the right boxes.
EXPANDED is another who represents trainer Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore. Like stablemate The Lion In Winter, he has only had two starts to date. Scoring on his debut at the Curragh in October and then running a cracker just a week later when finishing second in the G1 Dewhurst Stakes behind the highly regarded Shadow Of Light. His pedigree all points to him improving for the step up in trip this season.
The Joseph O’Brien trained, Scorthy Champ overcame greenness to win on his debut at Leopardstown and made a good impression. A third in the G2 Futurity Stakes followed before he won the G1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, beating Henri Matisse in the process. The National Stakes has produced plenty of 2000 Guineas winners in the past, so that form needs the utmost respect.
