Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas: guide and predicted finishing order

By Andy Stephens
Last Updated: Sat 25 May 2024
Richard Hannon attempts to emulate his father and namesake by winning the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas when saddling two leading contenders for the €500,000 feature on Saturday.
Hannon Snr landed The Curragh showpiece three times via with Don’t Forget Me (1987), Tirol (1990) and Canford Cliffs (2010) and is one of ten British-based trainers to have claimed the prize.
A decade on from taking over the licence, Hannon Jr launches a two-pronged attack with the hot favourite, Rosallion, and stablemate . A sound surface is on the cards with The Curragh missing much of the rain that has fallen in Britain and Ireland in recent days.
“They’ve both come out of Newmarket well and I’m happy with them,” Hannon said on Thursday of the colts who finished second and third in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas this month. 
“I’d like to think they are both going to The Curragh with great chances on their Newmarket runs and we just have to hope they travel over well and everything goes right for them.
“Both horses worked earlier in the week and pleased me and I’m hoping that the ground will stay as it is, as that would suit. It’s good to be going back to The Curragh with two nice colts in a Guineas.”
Newmarket runner-up will once again be ridden by Sean Levey, while Haatem will be ridden by Jamie Spencer. 
Aidan O’Brien seeks a record extending 13th Irish 2000 Guineas and has three of the eight runners: River Tiber, and .
Here’s a guide to all the contenders. Watch who wins the big race live on Racing TV at 3.40pm. 

1   ATLANTIC COAST 

Official Rating: 102. Curragh form: 1. Odds: 40/1. 
Joseph O’Brien rode the winner of the Guineas three years in succession (2011 to 2013) aboard Roderic O’Connor, Power and Magician but has yet to land it as a a trainer. He may have to wait at least another year to achieve the double because this colt disappointed in Leopardstown’s 2000 Guineas Trial last month and the pick of his efforts last term also fall short of the standard required. 

 2 BRIGHT STRIPES 

Official Rating: 102. Curragh form: 61. Odds: 50/1. 
Signed off last season by being pipped by Atlantic Coast in a Group Three at Leopardstown and then, like that colt, ran poorly in in Leopardstown’s 2000 Guineas Trial last month. He put that behind him when landing a Listed prize in fluent fashion over course and distance this month, but this requires plenty more and the chestnut is also unproven on quick ground. 

3   HAATEM

Official Rating: 115. Curragh form: --. Odds: 13/2.
Haatem wins the Craven 
He was a busy boy as a two-year-old, running nine times. It seemed his limitations had been exposed by the end of the campaign, but he’s upped his game this term. Anybody thinking his decisive comeback win in the Craven was something of a fluke will have had to think again after his third in the 2000 Guineas, although he’s not going to find it easy turning the tables on his stablemate, Rosallion, who finished a place and almost two lengths ahead at Newmarket without the benefit of a prep run. That said, he does have the services of Jamie Spencer, who has few peers in races over a straight mile and won this race on Haatem’s sire, Phoenix Of Spain, in 2019. 

4 MOUNTAIN BEAR

Official Rating: 110. Curragh form: 614. Odds: 20/1.
Looks Aidan O’Brien’s third string on jockey bookings, although there’s not much between them on official ratings. Impressed when losing his maiden tag in a big field at The Curragh (6f) in late June but came up short in five Group races afterwards, finishing behind Haatem and Rosallion when travelling over to Britain. Put up a career best on his final start when chasing home Unquestionable in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, especially given he didn’t get the rub of the green that day. None of O’Brien’s past nine winners of this race have gone off bigger than 5/1.

5 RIVER TIBER

Official Rating: 112. Curragh form: --. Odds: 7/2.
 River Tiber wins at Royal Ascot (Healy Racing)
The Wootten Bassett colt is the Ballydoyle No 1 with Ryan Moore opting for him ahead of Unquestionable and Mountain Bear. None of the trio have run this season and that rings something of an alarm bell because Aidan O’Brien is a creature of a habit and all 12 of his previous Irish 2000 Guineas winners had run at least once before that season (conversely all ten of his 2000 Guineas winners at Newmarket had been making their return). Moreover, has never run beyond 6f, although he would have contested the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in November, over a mile, had racecourse vets not withdrawn him. He came to handy early last year and was making it 3/3 when landing the Coventry and his subsequent Group One defeats came at the hands of a potential champion sprinter in Vandeek. River Tiber hinted in those races that 7f would suit him but he does have a stamina question to answer here against racefit rivals. 

6 ROSALLION

Official Rating: 118. Curragh form: --. Odds: Evens.
 Flashback: Hannon tells us more about Rosallion after his winning debut
The bookmakers make him around Evens and it’s easy to understand why. He ran a cracker to beat all bar Notable Speech on his return in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket this month, having confirmed himself as being among last season’s top two-year-olds with a length defeat of Unquestionable in the Group One Grand Criterium at Longchamp in October. The way he powered through a strong-run Guineas marked him down as a top-notch colt and he stuck to his task willingly in the closing stages. He won’t want this to be run at a dawdle – he was keen on several occasions last season – although he’s clearly got plenty of speed and settled well enough at Headquarters. Connections will be delighted the rain has stayed away.

7 TAKE ME TO CHURCH

Official Rating: 100. Curragh form: --. Odds: 66/1.
Seeks to emultate his sire, Churchill, who scooped this race in 2017 but he’s easy enough to overlook after finishing a well-beaten fourth in the 2000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown last month. His usual cheekpieces have been dispensed for what will be his first run beyond 7f. His odds seem to reflect his chance although he could have a key role in the race as he’s the one horse in the race who is usually ridden from the front.

8 UNQUESTIONABLE

Official Rating: 114. Curragh form: 3124. Odds: 13/2.
O'Brien reflects on Unquestionable's win in America 
He offered plenty in his first four races as a juvenile – all at The Curragh – before faring well on foreign shores. He was collared late on by Rosallion in the Grand Criterium at Longchamp in October and then went one better in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, winning at the main expense of stablemate Mountain Bear. However, there’s little doubt he was beaten on merit by Rosallion in France and that horse has had the benefit of a (very good) previous run. The fact that Ryan Moore has overlooked him also has to be a negative, although there have been plenty of occasions when he has been on the wrong one. O'Brien has said that Unquestionable may need the run after a setback.

PREDICTED FINISHING ORDER

1 ROSALLION. 2 HAATEM. 3 UNQUESTIONABLE. 4 RIVER TIBER. 5. MOUNTAIN BEAR 6. ATLANTIC COAST 7. BRIGHT STRIPES. 8 TAKE ME TO THE CHURCH.
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