Qipco 2000 Guineas
Group 1, Newmarket 15:35
£250,000 added,
3yo only,
1m, Class 1  
Saturday 6th June 2020

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1 Kameko 10/1
2 Wichita 15/2
3 Pinatubo 5/6F
15 ran Distances: nk, 1l, 2½l
Time: 1m 34.72s (fast by 0.28s)

Oisin Murphy became a British Classic winner for the first time as Kamekoproved too good for red-hot favourite Pinatubo who suffered his first defeat, finishing in third place.

Despite drifting out to the centre of the track, Kameko overhauled the Frankie Dettori-ridden Wichita in the closing strides.

Winning trainer Andrew Balding has been in stunning form since British racing resumed from its coronavirus shutdown and now has a serious chance of tasting Investec Derby glory for the first time.

Murphy said: “I’ve never won a Classic in Britain and it means the absolute world to me. It’s the stuff of dreams.

“It was a gutsy performance. He hardly blew a candle out afterwards – he must have a tremendous amount of ability.”

“I’m thrilled, in those colours for Andrew Balding.

“I wanted to carry him (Balding) on my shoulders and swing him round and make him dizzy, but first of all I’m not big enough and strong enough to do that, and secondly there would have been a lot of bad press tomorrow morning!

“It obviously hasn’t sunk in, there isn’t the same atmosphere after the race – in fact there’s no atmosphere – but it means just as much to me.

“I’m afraid to dream too big as often races don’t work out as you’d planned or the result isn’t the way you want it to go.

“This horse had trained very well without us doing anything silly on him at home and I was really pleased. I think really and truly Kameko is a very good horse.”

Trainers Quotes

As befitting a Guineas winner, Kameko was promoted to Derby favouritism and his trainer is keen to head to Epsom on July 4.

Balding said: “To me it looks the obvious choice, there would be a stamina doubt but there’s only one way to find out.

“We have to let David (Redvers, racing manager), Sheikh Fahad and Oisin all put in their opinions. I would be slightly reluctant to run him back at Ascot personally, so we will see what is on offer for him. He will certainly get a mile and a quarter, but there is a certain race over a mile and a half in July that would be quite appealing.”

Of Pinatubo, trainer Charlie Appleby said: “Pinatubo travelled well into the race there when he had Frankie’s (Dettori) horse (Wichita) as his target, but when he made his move he got up to their girths and just didn’t go any further forward.

“Obviously I’m disappointed as it’s the first time the horse has been beaten in his career, but at least he hasn’t fallen out of the back of the telly. He’s had a normal blow after that and we’ll take him home, but the first impression would be to take him to the St James’s Palace Stakes.”

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Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes
(British Champions Series) (Group 1)
£250,000 added, 3yo only, 1m, Class 1
15 ran
Going: Good to Firm

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (15)   Kameko 3 9-0 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 10/1
2 (9) nk Wichita 3 9-0 A P O'Brien Frankie Dettori 15/2
3 (7) 1 Pinatubo 3 9-0 Charlie Appleby William Buick 5/6F
4 (3) 2½ Military March 3 9-0 Saeed bin Suroor Hector Crouch 20/1
5 (14) nk Juan Elcano 3 9-0 Kevin Ryan Andrea Atzeni 66/1
6 (12) 3 Kinross 3 9-0 Ralph Beckett Harry Bentley 20/1
7 (4) 5 Starcat 3 9-0 Hughie Morrison P J McDonald 80/1
8 (8) 3¼ New World Tapestry 3 9-0 A P O'Brien Adam Kirby 250/1
9 (6) nse Kenzai Warrior 3 9-0 Roger Teal Jason Watson 40/1
10 (2) 3½ Royal Dornoch 3 9-0 A P O'Brien Tom Marquand 40/1
11 (13) ¾ Arizona 3 9-0 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 9/1
12 (10) ¾ Cepheus 3 9-0 Brian Meehan Jim Crowley 150/1
13 (11) ½ Persuasion 3 9-0 Charles Hills Kieran Shoemark 250/1
14 (5) 1 Al Suhail 3 9-0 Charlie Appleby James Doyle 14/1
15 (1) 7½ Mums Tipple 3 9-0 Richard Hannon Sean Levey 22/1

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