Alex Hammond blog: 2000 and 1000 Guineas preview

Horse Racing

Wed April 29, 2026 · 2h ago

Our columnist looks ahead to the big-race action at Punchestown, Ascot and Newmarket.

Who do you think will come out on top in the Fact To File & Gaelic Warrior rematch in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup?

This promises to be an absolute humdinger. To see these two chasing titans taking each other on in this end of season clash is a real treat and as it stands their rivalry is even stevens with two victories apiece.

The way Fact To File won the Irish Gold Cup, beating Gaelic Warrior, gives his fans hope of a repeat performance but how good was the latter at Cheltenham?! Fact To File bypassed the Ryanair due to the ground and that tips the odds in his favour for me as he comes here the fresher horse. There’s sure to be a psychological masterclass between Paul Townend and Mark Walsh and I wouldn’t think either will blink first. What a race we have in prospect.

Big card at Ascot on Friday – who are you looking forward to seeing in action there?

I’ll be at Ascot on Friday for Royal Ascot Trials Day and over the years this meeting has proved significant for some prestigious future targets.

The Sagaro has been a classy contest for some time now, and the enigmatic Sweet William has a chance to strut his stuff in this Group Three. He finished third in the race a couple of years ago and will be highest rated on Friday.

There are some smart horses in opposition though and most likely more straightforward horses too. One I’m interested in is the Andrew Balding trained four-year-old Tarriance. He won the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap last season before being well beaten in the Leger but was gelded in the off season and could go on now because of that.

He ran in Saudi in February and was behind Sons And Lovers that day, but he will hopefully mature into a decent stayer for a stable who have won this race twice in recent years with Coltrane.

Charlie Appleby’s Wise Approach was last seen winning the Middle Park where he beat the Aidan O’Brien-trained Brussels and that duo could clash in the Commonwealth Cup Trial. Coppull was third at Newmarket in September and he’s also amongst Friday’s entries. That looks a Group Three to savour, and I suspect a race we will revisit many times throughout the course of this flat season.

Distant Storm winning at Newmarket

So, onto the Classics – how do you see Saturday’s Betfred 2000 Guineas?

Hot favourite Bow Echo hasn’t been seen since his unbeaten juvenile campaign and all we have to go on are reports we hear of his progress. Gstaad was accidentally taken out of, and then put back in the race this week, but on what I saw in the Greenham he has something to prove.

Distant Storm is where my pin has landed for my main selection. There’s plenty to like about this colt. He’s trained by Charlie Appleby who has won three of the last four runnings of the 2000 Guineas, he’s by a Guineas winner in Night Of Thunder, and out of Date With Destiny, the only offspring of George Washington.

He was last seen finishing third in the Dewhurst behind the late Gewan and Gstaad, although he was fairly beaten that day. He’ll be primed for this. He’s 9/2 with Sky Bet.

At a bigger price is Samangan at 14/1 and I’m happy to have him on my team too for a trainer who has the Midas touch. Francis-Henri Graffard has decided to give this lad the opportunity to see if he can stretch out over a mile. If he stays, he should run a big race at decent odds, but that’s the risk you take. His stamina is not guaranteed.

Diamond Necklace and Christophe Soumillon surge clear

And what about the 1000 Guineas on Sunday?

I’m a fan of Diamond Necklace for Aidan O’Brien, who has a monopoly on this race with three of the top four in the betting. She signed off her season winning the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day and whilst I thought she may to head to France for their Guineas, I can’t desert her if she runs here.

Speaking of France, trainer Andre Fabre has won most races but the 1000 Guineas on only one occasion when Miss France won in 2014. Miss France finished 6th in the Prix Imprudence on her seasonal return before winning at Newmarket, and this year’s representative My Highness has also taken that same route, albeit she was a decent second in that race on her reappearance.

It was disappointing to see her beaten at odds on that day, but Miss France was also a beaten favourite in the same trial, and My Highness should be sharper for that effort.

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