A total of 15 colts have 2000 Guineas entries for the 2024 renewal of the Rowley Mile Classic at Newmarket on 6 June.
The five-day declaration stage sees the Coolmore set with four and fellow powerful global owners Godolphin have three horses engaged. Red-hot bookmakers’ favourite Pinatubo heads those carrying the all blue silks.
Charlie Appleby stable companion Al Suhail and Saeed bin Suroor’s Military March are Godolphin’s other 2000 Guineas entries. The pair were second and first in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes over course and distance in October.
Aidan O’Brien has Arizona, New World Tapestry, Group 2 Royal Lodge victor Royal Dornoch and Wichita as potential runners. The former and latter suffered defeats by champion juvenile Pinatubo last season.
Vertem Futurity Trophy winner Kameko is also declared for trainer Andrew Balding and owners Qatar Racing. Wide-margin York scorer Mums Tipple could line up for Richard Hannon.
Ralph Beckett has the well-regraded Kinross among the 2000 Guineas entries which also include Brian Meehan’s Sea The Stars colt Cepheus.
Trainer Roger Teal has Group 3 Horris Hill scorer Kenzai Warrior in contention. Juan Elcano placed at Group 2 level for Kevin Ryan and owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid last term, so could take his chance.
Charlie Hills’ Persuasion and Starcat from the Hughie Morrison stable complete the possible runners.
Analysis: No surprises in 2000 Guineas field
Jamie Clark, Horsebetting.com Editor
This is not the most open of 2000 Guineas races on paper. It is all about Pinatubo and whether Godolphin’s star colt has trained on over the winter.
Bar him, Arizona and Kameko, you can get double figure prices on the other 12 runners with the bookies. That may change as gambles develop between now and when the colts run in this Classic.
Unless a deluge of rain hits Newmarket in midweek, this year’s 2000 Guineas will be on good ground at worst. The track may need watering so the surface isn’t too firm.
Punters should thus be wary of anything that has won well on soft or heavy ground. Given the way he went about beating all-comers as a juvenile, there’s no reason to think Pinatubo won’t beat his old rivals again.
He went over to Ireland and beat the best O’Brien felt he had on their patch. Pinatubo has since followed-upwith another Group 1 success in the Dewhurst on the Rowley Mile over 7f.
Whichever way you slice it, he is the horse the other 2000 Guineas entries all have to beat here. There are some horses in the potential line-up who may be using this as a pipe opener for another Classic, The Derby at Epsom.
This is another trap punters need to be mindful of when looking at bigger price runners. Pinatubo isn’t an attractive price, but nobody can deny he is a worthy favourite.
