2,000 GUINEAS
Saturday 4th May, 3:35pm
City Of Troy @ 4/6
Rosallion @ 5/1
Notable Speech @ 10/1
Ghostwriter @ 14/1
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
RACE
Here we go: after the phoney war of the early stages of the flat season, Newmarket’s QIPCO Guineas Festival gets things going at full tilt. Ahead of the Two Thousand Guineas (3-35) Aidan O’Brien has been waxing particularly lyrically about the unbeaten City Of Troy as the trainer attempts to extend his own record number of wins in the race to eleven. In addition to a major talent in Rosallion, three more unbeaten records are on the line including two – those of Notable Speech and Night Raider – gained on the all-weather circuit.
MARKET
Ever since a spectacular racecourse debut at The Curragh in July, City Of Troy has been all the rage for the Guineas, growing his reputation in two subsequent races, notably in the Dewhurst when disposing of Alyanaabi, Craven winner Haatem and Iberian by decisive margins. Everything seems to point towards the son of the US Triple Crown winner Justify, for which victory would represent an important breakthrough on the international breeding stage.
Having suffered his only defeat behind Iberian on soft at Doncaster, Rosallion bounced back in the Jean-Luc Lagardere; the vibes about his winter progress are positive though supporters may be keeping an anxious eye on the weather.
Godolphin’s Notable Speech has won 3/3, all of the races this year at Kempton and over a mile; clearly this is a different kettle of fish but he’s on the up.
The same applies to Night Raider, a two-time winner over seven furlongs at Southwell, however that first success, achieved by nine-lengths, had even hardened onlookers purring.
Ghostwriter, the Royal Lodge winner, is reported to have thrived during the close-season but may excel over further. Task Force is up in distance which, on pedigree, is sure to be a plus, and he’s undergone a breathing procedure. Inisherin ‘flew’ through a decent novices’ race at Newcastle in March having shown pretty good form on his only two-year-old run.
CORNELIUS’ QUARTET
Elsewhere at Newmarket at Newmarket, in-form Jack Channon saddles hard-working Chairmanoftheboard (1-45) off a marginally lower mark than when a clear second in the 2023 race.
As well as pulling on the blue Godolphin silks, William Buick rides for three outside trainers on the bumper Saturday card, of which Theoryofeverything (2-20), a close fourth at the track in April, perhaps catches the eye most.
See The Fire, a well-bred filly which had a good juvenile year and is likely to improve in her three-year-old season.
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