Betfred 2000 Guineas latest news | Distant Storm brewing ahead of first Classic of season

Having won three of the last four renewals of the opening Classic of the season the Newmarket handler appears to hold a strong hand going into this year’s race on Saturday May 2.

Heading up his team on form will be Distant Storm, who signed off last season with a close up third over seven furlongs at the track in Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes, just over two weeks after scoring over course and distance in the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes.

And in preparation for his return to action the son of Night Of Thunder, who is a general 10/1 chance for the 2000 Guineas, took part in a racecourse gallop under William Buick at the Rowley Mile on Tuesday morning.

Working over seven furlongs, the Godolphin-owned colt was not asked to answer too many questions before finishing comfortably at the head of the exercise to move him a step closer to his Classic assignment.

Appleby said: “We have not seen Distant Storm since the Dewhurst and I was very pleased with him.

"He is a clean winded horse and we were lucky enough to be here in the spring to go straight into a 2000 Guineas.

“To come into a 2000 Guineas having run in a Dewhurst, and having run well in a Dewhurst is a huge plus.

“I’m a big believer in the horse that has been there and done it at that level and that is what Distant Storm has done and he ticks all those boxes really.”

“The plan was always to come here and give him a nice gallop, but as I said to Will, we don’t need to have a searching gallop as he is fit and we are only two and a half weeks away. I was very pleased how he hit the rising ground.

"As you have seen there he is very professional, relaxed and takes everything well.”

While Distant Storm, who has so far only been campaigned over seven furlongs, has to prove he stays a mile, Appleby believes sending the dual race winner straight to the 2000 Guineas without a prep run will further enhance his chances.

He added: “He is a better horse running up fresh, and we have seen that with all of his starts as when you come back for that next start he is a percentage behind where he was on his first start off a break.

“The way he won the Tattersalls Stakes he deserved to be there in the Dewhurst, but it was a race that we walked away thinking we probably left behind a bit in the Tattersalls Stakes to be brutally honest with you.

“There is no doubt in mind a mile is no problem at all for Distant Storm. Physically he has done well.

“He is a breeze-up horse so it is always a tough year for them as they have been on the go very early and we then saw him in the last big race for the two-year-olds.

“He deserved a rest needless to say and he has done very well for it.

Distant Storm was not the only one of Appleby’s team set for a tilt at 2000 Guineas glory to strut their stuff on the Rowley Mile with recent Kempton Park scorer King’s Trail also working over the same distance under James Doyle.

He added: “King’s Trail is two from two on the all-weather and I was keen to get him on the turf.

“We have had him on the turf on Waterhall and I’ve been pleased with what I have seen there. Visually I have to say I’m happy with what I’ve seen there. He has picked up the hill well.”

The pair could be joined in the 2000 Guineas by stablemate Hidden Force, who will put his Classic credentials to the test in the Group Three Betway Craven Stakes having registered back-to-back victories on the all-weather at Kempton Park.

Appleby added: “I said to Will it could stack up to be a very good Craven this year and the winner of that needless to say will bounce to the forefront of the market I imagine.

“I feel we have a horse in Hidden Force that will be a big player on Thursday, whether he wins we will see, but if he does you go potentially into a 2000 Guineas with a healthy hand.

“He is a strong, deep girthed individual. You can sometimes question mark running in a Craven and going into a 2000 Guineas of late as there haven’t been many 2000 Guineas winners come from the Craven.

“I just feel timing wise he is a horse that has had two runs during the winter and he is hard and fit a bit more than some of these horses that have had the full winter off, not that you go into a 2000 Guineas unfit. He has done physically well.

“It is an open 2000 Guineas I feel and I think we have three potentially worthy contenders.”

Not only did Appleby put two of his 2000 Guineas contenders through their paces before racing returned to the Rowley Mile in 2026, but he also gave his sole Betfred 1000 Guineas entry Abashiri a spin on the course as well.

The daughter of Frankel made a striking impression on her racecourse debut back in November when running out the facile winner of a novice contest at Kempton Park.

Appleby said: “I was pleased with Abashiri who went up there with her lead horse. She is probably not sharp enough to win a 1000 Guineas, but she will run well enough in one and we all know the Guineas is a good trial for the Oaks and she looks more of an Oaks filly.

“She is the only entry we have got. She is a nice filly, but stepping up in trip will be her forte.”

And a step up in trip also beckons at Lingfield next month for Del Maro, who made his comeback a triumphant one in a novice contest at Yarmouth on Saturday.

Following that success the son of Camelot, who finished third in the Group Three Night Of Thunder Zetland Stakes at Newmarket last year, will step up to an extended one mile three furlongs in the Listed William Hill Lingfield Derby Trial on May 10th.

Appleby added: “He will go to the Lingfield Derby Trial. He was a bit frustrating last year, but he has got a pedigree to suit step up to a mile and a half.

“That mile and a half division there is not a stand out Derby horse as yet so everyone is going to have to earn their stripes as they go on.”

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