Betfred 2000 Guineas: runner-by-runner guide and tip

Jockey: David Egan.

Performed with plenty of credit last season and impressed with his attitude when winning a Listed race at Doncaster before finishing fourth in a Group Three at Newbury on testing ground. 

His seasonal return in the bet365 Craven Stakes is worth upgrading as, despite racing a shade keenly and failing to get cover, he kept finding under pressure, despite appearing to be in need of the outing.

He's entitled to improve for those exertions, but will need to do so considerably to reverse form with the favourite, and looks vulnerable against strong opposition.

Jockey: Ryan Moore.

Aidan O'Brien bids for his eleventh Betfred 2000 Guineas victory, and relies solely on Expanded who would have probably been the Ballydoyle second string had Twain been declared.

However, this youngster was pitched into Group One company seven days after his debut win last season, and was only narrowly denied by Shadow Of Light in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes.

That was a huge effort on his second start and Ryan Moore believes he would have won there had he not been pestered by the third earlier than ideal.

It also signalled that connections hold him in the highest regard, and it is wise to believe improvement will be on the horizon this season, especially as he was described as 

He lacks experience, but handled this track last season and stepping up to mile should be within reach. Strong claims.

Jockey: Kieran Shoemark.

Looked a work in progress last season, but still managed to win the Sky Bet Solario Stakes on his third outing, and the ground probably went against him when fourth in the Group One Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere next time out. 

Given his size and scope, it was no surprise he took a considerable step forward to win what appeared a strong renewal of the bet365 Craven Stakes on his return this season, and that impressive effort can be marked up considering his joint-trainer, John Gosden, stressed beforehand his galloping grey would need the outing.

Field Of Gold now has the advantage of race fitness, and is also proven over this course and distance plus looks the one to beat on the huge impression he created at in April.

The Gosden team are still seeking their first win in the Betfred 2000 Guineas, and surely have high hopes this son of Kingman will provide them with Classic glory on Saturday.  

Jockey: Shane Foley.

"We can dream all winter. He's a big horse and needs time to fill out his frame. I think we'll see a really nice horse next year," said Jessica Harrington after Green Impact landed last year's KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown, and the Irish handler is dreaming of Betfred Derby glory with her exciting youngster this season.

That may hint that this contest is a stepping stone to the Epsom showpiece, and Green Impact is certainly bred to stay further than a mile, so may flourish when stepped up in trip. 

The form of his two wins last year was franked by Delacroix who finished a narrow second in the William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes, and while his form overall does fall slightly short of what others have achieved, this son of Wootton Bassett should continue to improve throughout this season. 

His stable form is a slight concern (zero winners from 29 runners in the past fortnight, at the time of writing) and while he holds each-way claims, he is likely to run a promising race in defeat en route to the Betfred Derby.

Jockey: William Buick.

This €2.3m breeze-up purchase was introduced as the ante-post favourite for the Betfred 2000 Guineas following his hugely impressive victory on debut at Sandown last year where he did well to quicken up off a slow pace, despite showing signs of greenness, and clocked some noteworthy sectionals there. 

That performance hinted he was a Group performer in the making, so it was disappointing he could only manage third in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes next time out. However, he was not seen again afterwards and something may have been amiss there. 

He had clearly strengthened up considerably over the winter and returned to action with a stunning six-length victory at Meydan in March, impressing with his turn of foot.

The fact William Buick has opted to ride him over Shadow Of Light, despite his stablemate being a dual Group One winner last season, is a significant positive, and may be a sign he has been impressing connections in his work at home. 

His pedigree suggests he will stay further than a mile, but he appears to have the speed to win a Group one over this distance, and there's lots to like about his chances here, especially as he has the benefit of race fitness.

Jockey: Dylan Browne McMonagle.

Defeated the subsequent Breeders' Cup Juvenile first and third in the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh last season and had excuses when a staying-on third in a strong Group Two prior to that. 

He also impressed when making a winning debut at Leopardstown, after which Joseph O'Brien waxed lyrical about his sizeable son of Mehmas, and a mile appears his optimum trip. 

Scorthy Champ came from a long way back at the Curragh when last seen, plus idled in front so was value for more than the winning margin suggests, and his two-year-old form has worked out extremely well.

O'Brien, who won the race as a jockey aboard Camelot in 2012, has sounded bullish about his chances in recent weeks, and his charge is being trained to peak for the Betfred 2000 Guineas, rather than this being a stepping stone to future targets. He won't have needed to progress much more from last season to play a part in the finish here.

Jockey: Tom Marquand.

Seagulls Eleven will bid to follow in the footsteps of his sire, Galileo Gold, who struck at 14-1 in the 2016 Betfred 2000 Guineas, and Hugo Palmer’s youngster showed useful form in defeat last season.

He was less than two lengths behind Scorthy Champ when third in the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes and the ground probably went against him on his next two outings at Group One level.  

A racecourse gallop at the Craven meeting, where he impressed his handler, should have sharpened him up for his seasonal return, and Hugo Palmer is operating at a 25 per cent strike-rate, at the time of writing. 

This contender is owned by several current and former Brighton & Hove Albion footballers, so is sure to have his supporters, but improvement is required if he's to strike for connections here.

Jockey: Mickael Barzalona.

Arguably has the strongest form next to his name having won the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes and the Darley Dewhurst Stakes last season, and may have found a test of speed too much on his only defeat over six furlongs at York from five outings as a two-year-old.

Being closely related to dual Group One-winning sprinter Earthlight, his pedigree suggests a mile might not be his optimum trip, but he stayed on best on soft ground in the Dewhurst, and connections are confident he will stay. 

He's also proven on the Rowley Mile and has had a racecourse gallop, so the lack of a recent run is not a huge concern, especially as Charlie Appleby operated at a strike-rate of 28 per cent in April.

The biggest negative is William Buick opting to ride stablemate Ruling Court, although that can't have been the easiest decision. It does potentially suggest he has not been working as well as Ruling Court, though, and Shadow Of Light wears a first-time tongue tie here. 

A strong case can be made for him on last year's form, and Buick chose the wrong mount in this contest two years ago.

Jockey: Silvestre de Sousa.

Lacks experience and has never run on turf, so a big leap of faith is required to support him, although contesting a race of this nature on his return suggests connections have high hopes for him this season.

The son of Too Darn Hot needed the experience when third on debut, and progressed nicely to get off the mark at Newcastle next time out where he pulled clear with a Gosden-trained youngster who has a beautiful pedigree.

That race has not worked out well, though, and this is a major step up in grade, so it will be a shock if he is capable of recording Classic glory here.

Jockey: Harry Davies.

James Owen's charge was highly tried last season and split The Lion In Winter and Ruling Court when second in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes. That looks a strong piece of form, and he also impressed over this course and distance in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes.

Connections blamed the ground for his below-par effort in the William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes on his final start last season, and he should relish faster conditions on Saturday, just like his sire, Kameko, did in the 2020 Betfred 2000 Guineas.  

He was a shade keen with little cover when second on his first start for six months in the bet365 Craven Stakes in April and even considering he will step forward from that, he's another who has work to do to defeat Field Of Gold,  

One positive is he does have plenty of experience, and the pace here should suit this strong traveller who is being aimed at the Betfred Derby. Overall, though, he looks to have place claims at best.

Jockey: Jamie Spencer. 

Could a Jamie Spencer special be on the cards here? Yah Mo Be There, who often starts slowly, came from last to first to record Listed glory at Newbury in July last year, but endured a lengthy absence before returning to action at the same venue in April.

He was again held up in the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes and plugged on under pressure in a race that was not run to suit. There were glimmers of promise in that effort, and that should have blown the cobwebs away, at least.

Connections are confident stepping up in trip will suit and said last year that this youngster is held in high regard, but it is hard to make a strong case for him.

I advised backing , and his credentials have strengthened further since given he is the choice of William Buick. That has to be a positive sign considering the strength of form stablemate Shadow Of Light produced last season, and Ruling Court remains the selection.

Field Of Gold has been strong at the head of the market since his impressive Craven win, and he holds strong credentials on that form. Race fitness will also be an advantage, but he faces stronger opposition now, and is only a best-priced 7-4. 

Of those at chunkier odds, there are plenty of reasons to believe Green Impact will take a big step forward now, and he has each-way claims en route to a tilt at the Betfred Derby. Jessica Harrington holds this youngster in extremely high regard, and he had a big frame to fill last season, so major improvement can be expected this season.