RacingBetter News
	Monday 4th April 2022

Who are the Leading Contenders for the 2000 Guineas?

The 2000 Guineas brings up the opening Classic of the British Flat season. The leading three-year-old colts will battle it out over 1m at Newmarket. Many of them will be having their first outings of the campaign.

Here is a look at who are the leading contenders to add their names into the history books at Newmarket.

Native Trail

With two victories in Grade One races in 2021, it is no surprise that Native Trail is the 11/4 favourite in the horse racing odds from Paddy Power for the 2000 Guineas. He ended last season as the leading two-year-old colt in the UK and Ireland.

As shown in the racing results at the Curragh, Charlie Appleby’s unbeaten colt showed an impressive turn of foot to win the National Stakes. He then proved that was no fluke, with another strong performance in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. 

The son of Oasis Dream will be stepping up to 1m for the first time for the British Classic, but the new distance should not be a problem for him. Godolphin have not won the 2000 Guineas since Dawn Approach was successful in 2013. They have an excellent chance of ending that wait for glory in the race.

Luxembourg

Camelot was just one win away from claiming the Triple crown in 2012. His son Luxembourg now bids for Triple Crown success, starting with the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Aidan O’Brien’s colt showed his class when he won the Grade One Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster on his final outing of 2021. That was the third victory of his two-year-old campaign, as he also scored at Killarney and the Curragh.

Given that he is the ante-post favourite for the Derby at Epsom, this horse is likely to improve the further he goes up in distance. However, he remains a strong contender for the Classic over 1m at Newmarket. He appears to be O’Brien’s leading chance in the colts’ race on Guineas weekend.

Coroebus

Appleby is also represented in this year’s 2000 Guineas by Coroebus. He showed a lot of promise in his three appearances last season. The son of Dubawi will also wear the Godolphin blue silks in the race.

The three-year-old began his career with victory over the 2000 Guineas C&D in a novice contest. He then came home second behind Royal Patronage in the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes. 

An opening Group success came in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket for the Godolphin runner. He looked much more experienced in that third start, and once he hit the front, there was no stopping the horse.

Coroebus is likely to feature in the Greenham Stakes in what will be his final prep run before the 2000 Guineas. Along with Native Trail, the pair will give Appleby a great chance of winning the British Classic for the first time in his career.

The Guineas weekend is scheduled to take place between 30 April-1 May, with the 2000 Guineas set for the opening day of the meeting.