Aidan O'Brien is double-handed in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas on Saturday with Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear.
Only the same stable's Cairo was taken out at the 48-hour stage leaving a field of 14 for the first Classic of the season at Newmarket on Saturday.
O’Brien rates the Deep Impact colt as a possible Triple Crown contender at this stage, with Auguste Rodin having won three of his four starts to date, including the Group One Futurity Trophy at Doncaster last October.
O’Brien also fields Phoenix Stakes victor Little Big Bear, winner of four of his five runs and last year’s top-rated European juvenile with a mark of 124.
Chaldean heads the home defence with Andrew Balding’s charge bidding to give Frankie Dettori victory in the mile Classic in what is the rider’s final season before retirement.
The duo won the Dewhurst Stakes over seven furlongs on the Rowley Mile last term, but Dettori was unshipped coming out of the stalls on his return in last month’s Greenham at Newbury.
Draw for the 2000 Guineas at @NewmarketRace on Saturday:
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) May 4, 2023
1 - Flight Plan
2 - Noble Style
3 - Chaldean
4 - Hi Royal
5 - Holloway Boy
6 - Dubai Mile
7 - Silver Knott
8 - Galeron
9 - Indestructible
10 - Sakheer
11 - Royal Scotsman
12 - Auguste Rodin
13 - Little Big Bear
14 - Charyn pic.twitter.com/ZIoxlG2MXE
Royal Scotsman was beaten just a head by Chaldean in the Dewhurst and he reopposes for Paul and Oliver Cole, while Sakheer is a leading contender for Roger Varian after winning the Mill Reef last term.
Varian also fields Greenham runner up Charyn, with Charlie Appleby another who is double-handed with narrow Breeders’ Cup runner-up Silver Knott and Noble Style, who has been off the track since winning the Gimcrack last season.
Karl Burke runs Craven Stakes victor Indestructible along with Futurity third Holloway Boy, with outsider Flight Plan making it a triple challenge from the Middleham handler.
Charlie Johnston saddles his first Classic runner in his sole name as Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Dubai Mile takes his chance, while Kevin Ryan’s longshot Hi Royal completes a strong Yorkshire challenge.
Charlie Hills’ Galeron completes the line up.
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