3 minutes The first Classic of the British flat racing calendar takes place on Saturday with Newmarket Racecourse set to host the 2000 Guineas
The first Classic of the British flat racing calendar takes place on Saturday with Newmarket Racecourse set to host the 2000 Guineas. The historical contest is one of the highlights of the year and as we look ahead to this year’s renewal we’ll preview the market leaders and provide the latest horse racing betting odds and free bet offers from our partners at bet365.
2000 Guineas: A Brief History
The 2000 Guineas was established back in 1806 and remains one of the most prestigious flat races of the year. Contested over one mile on Newmarket’s famous Rowley Mile, the 2000 Guineas is open to three-year-old colts and fillies and makes up the first leg of the Triple Crown; later followed by the Derby and St Leger. Nijinksy was the last horse to complete the Triple Crown back in 1970 whilst Camelot has come closest since, winning the 2000 Guineas and the Derby in 2012 before finishing second in the St Leger.
Aidan O’Brien has trained a record ten 2000 Guineas winners, most recently in 2019 with Magna Grecia. Last year’s race was won by Chaldean for trainer, Andrew Balding and jockey, Frankie Dettori.
The straight one mile race often determines the year’s number one three-year-old sprinter and past winners of the race include some of the sport’s most iconic names such as Frankel, Sea The Stars, Brigadier Gerard and Dancing Brave. Frankel’s success in 2011 produced arguably the greatest performance ever witnessed at Newmarket.
Is City Of Troy As Good As They Say?
City Of Troy has drawn comparisons with legendary past 2000 Guineas winner, Frankel following a near perfect juvenile season that saw him handed an official rating of 125, just 1 mark short of Frankel at the same stage of his career. As a two-year-old, City Of Troy won 3/3 including a six-length demolition of a strong Superlative Stakes field that included subsequent Craven winner, Haatem but it was his win in the Dewhurst Stakes that really made people stand up and take notice. Contested over 7f on the Rowley Mile, City Of Troy led from start to finish to land the Dewhurst by 4 lengths.
City Of Troy looks well-equipped to stay further than a mile, creating excitement that he could become the first Triple Crown winner in half a century. Aidan O’Brien’s potential superstar heads the betting for both Saturday’s 2000 Guineas (4/6) and next month’s Derby (6/4).
Other Leading Contenders
Far from a one horse race, the 2000 Guineas brings together a collection of the best three-year-olds and there is some considerable talent in this field. Roselion won the Group 1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp last October and looks the best of the rest.
Craven winner, Haatem and Ghostwriter, winner of last year’s Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes are the only C&D winners in the race whilst Notable Speech took his record to 3/3 with a solid run at Kempton less than 4 weeks ago.
2000 Guineas Odds
| Horse | Form | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Of Troy | 111- | A P O'Brien | R L Moore | 4/6 |
| Rosallion | 1131- | R Hannon | S M Levey | 5/1 |
| Notable Speech | 111 | C Appleby | W Buick | 11/1 |
| Ghostwriter | 111- | C G Cox | R Kingscote | 16/1 |
| Night Raider | 1-1 | K R Burke | D Tudhope | 16/1 |
| Alyanaabi | 1412- | Owen Burrows | Jim Crowley | 18/1 |
| Task Force | 112- | R M Beckett | Rossa Ryan | 20/1 |
| Iberian | 1216- | C Hills | Tom Marquand | 25/1 |
| Haatem | 21955-1 | R Hannon | James Doyle | 28/1 |
| Inisherin | 2-1 | K A Ryan | T Eaves | 40/1 |
| Ten Bob Tony | 4516-1 | E Walker | Saffie Osborne | 66/1 |
