Betfred 2000 Guineas analysis and tips following the trials

After all that’s happened the last few weeks, how do you rate Bow Echo’s chances at 11/4?

Ben Linfoot: He’s probably the right favourite on the back of his good two-year-old campaign, his course form in the Royal Lodge and given what’s happened to his rivals this spring. On that alone he has to be respected, but his odds just look a bit too short to me. I think he might be a 10-furlong horse and if there’s a more natural miler in the Guineas he could be vulnerable.

Andrew Asquith: Bow Echo did nothing wrong as a juvenile, but I’m still on the fence. He recorded an up-to-standard performance when winning the Royal Lodge when last seen and clearly handled the track well, but he looks short enough to me even with the absentees that have emerged over the last few weeks. He’s reportedly worked well in a couple of racecourse gallops, but I’d be looking towards something further down the market at a bigger price, notably King’s Trail, who I think has the most potential.

David Ord: I was at Haydock when he won the Ascendant Stakes and thought it looked a good race at the time and he went on to confirm that impression when landing the Royal Lodge, I like the way he goes through his races, and the course know-how is another plus. He’s a leading player but 11/4 is plenty short enough isn’t it given a host of the remaining runners hold at least as good a chance on the formbook. It’s a question of who has improved most?

It’s not been plain sailing for Aidan O’Brien in the run up to Newmarket, but could Puerto Rico deliver him his first 2000 Guineas since 2019?

David Ord: It took him five goes to win a race last season but when he did, he did it in style in the Champagne at Doncaster and added a brace of Group Ones to it in the Jean-Luc Lagardere and Criterium International. He thrived with racing last season and brings the best form to the table and proven stamina at a mile. It might be enough to win on Saturday week, but he lacks the scope for improvement of a good few of these, the yard’s runners in the trials this spring temper enthusiasm a little too.

Ben Linfoot: He’s a fascinating contender. I tend to like those horses who need experience over shorter trips before they start winning and he looked a top prospect at the end of last season. His Champagne Stakes win has worked out particularly well. Again, I think he’ll get further, but his running style should be well suited to the Rowley Mile as long as he’s ready for the first weekend in May. It’s a big if. Like Dave says, that hasn’t been the case with the Ballydoyle horses in recent years and if Gstaad goes elsewhere their 2000 Guineas challenge could be relatively light.

Andrew Asquith: He’s certainly had a couple of hiccups and, while Albert Einstein has failed to meet expectations in two starts this year, it would have been interesting if Gstaad was still in the field. Puerto Rico is definitely a contender, though. He comes out top on Timeform ratings following his easy win in the Criterium International at the end of last season and he’s totally unexposed at a mile. Puerto Rico had plenty of runs as a two-year-old, but it wouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary for Aidan O’Brien to get even more out of him this year and he’ll certainly be street wise enough for this test. So yes, he’s a solid contender.

Who do you favour of the Godolphin contingent?

Andrew Asquith: As mentioned earlier, I’m a big fan of King’s Trail. He’s followed a similar path to Notable Speech, who won the 2000 Guineas a couple of years ago, winning the race at Kempton he did en-route to Newmarket in similar fashion. That was a bit of a messy race, but King’s Trail cruised into contention, and quickly settled matters with a push button turn of foot, always holding on in the closing stages under tender handling. There could be any amount of improvement in him and Charlie Appleby is the form trainer of the 2000 Guineas having won three of the last four renewals.

Ben Linfoot: In the last five years Charlie Appleby and Godolphin have had three 2000 Guineas winners and one short head second and they have benefitted from Aidan O’Brien not targeting the race like he used to. I think they’ll probably win it again. King’s Trail looks the interesting one after his work last week and two Kempton wins, so he could give Sea The Stars a first Guineas success with his progeny, but Distant Storm is the more likely winner of the pair. You just get the feeling he’s got an explosive performance in him over a mile and he could well do what his dam’s sire George Washington did in this race in 2006 and leave them trailing.

David Ord: King’s Trail is the sexier of the two and full of potential but I’m also very sweet on Distant Storm. I don’t think he was quite at his best in the Dewhurst but still ran well to finish third behind Gewan. He was sandwiched between Gstaad and Zavateri and in front of subsequent Craven and Greenham winners Oxagon and Alparsland. He’ll stay a mile, we know he handles the undulations of the course and has a potent turn of foot on his day.

Is anything else from the recent trials worthy of a mention?

Ben Linfoot: Sticking with the Godolphin theme I wouldn’t be surprised to see Roger Varian’s Avicenna reverse the Craven form with Oxagon. He did well to get second from his track position the way the Rowley Mile was riding on Craven day and while I’m not sure he’s a 2000 Guineas horse on the back of his trial run, I do think he could develop into a horse capable of striking at the highest level this season.

David Ord: I won’t be alone in this, but I do think Needle Match might improve enough to prove himself the best horse to come out of the Greenham. He was green, too keen but still came home strongly to finish fourth behind Alparsland. He’ll relish a mile and when the penny drops and he learns to race professionally there’s a big day in him for all the Guineas probably comes a little too soon in his development.

Andrew Asquith: Oxagon did it nicely in the Craven, but he did have the run of the race, and will find things much tougher next weekend. And you're right, Dave, you are not alone, as I’d also give a mention to Needle Match who I thought shaped well in the face of a stiff task in the Greenham on just his second start. He received a bit of a bump leaving the stalls, but he moved well through the race and was doing all of his best work at the finish without being knocked about. You would say he’d come on a deal for that given he was very easy to back and, while the Guineas may come too soon, I’d bet he’ll develop into a top-level performer this year.

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