Vicki Gibbins reflects on the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury

Oxagon wins Craven but is he a 2000 Guineas contender?

By Vicki Gibbins

Horse Racing

Thu April 16, 2026 · 2h ago

Oxagon crosses the line in the Craven, two lengths clear of the chasing Godolphin pair Avicenna and Hidden Force.

It’s a blow for the boys in blue, who have won three of the last four renewals of the 2000 Guineas. They’d started the week with high hopes and the defeat of Hidden Force has left the Guineas picture in question.

Except, maybe it hasn’t. Because maybe, just maybe, we’ve already seen the Guineas winner.

Rewind forty-eight hours.

It’s seven o’clock in the morning and I need an injection of tea, preferably straight into a vein, before I murder George Boughey. I don’t usually have a problem with George, but the inclusion of Bow Echo in the morning gallopers has turned the five o’clock start from potential snooze button victim to race down the A1.

I step out of the car, ensconced in more layers than required for an April morning, and immediately remember my flat-racing spirit, which won’t abate until it starts raining in time for Champions Day.

Bow Echo - delighted connections with gallop

Charlie Appleby is galloping Oaks filly Abashiri, Guineas prospect Distant Storm and potential Derby hopeful King’s Trail.

Except, King’s Trail powers through the final furlong looking eerily reminiscent of a certain Ruling Court, who had outshone his chestnut stablemate Shadow Of Light only 12 months before.

There’s a sense of mischief about Charlie, who is hoping we’ll be distracted by Bow Echo’s workout and can sneak out without chatting. In my case, he’s correct, but this game is a team effort (sometimes).

“I think we've got three potentially worthy contenders there in the two boys that we saw this morning,” he tells the waiting journalists. “And we'll have a look and see what Hidden Force does - it could stack up to be a very good Craven this year.”

Only three, Charlie?

Fast forward eight hours to the Federation Of Bloodstock Agents EBF Conditions Stakes and Talk Of New York romps to an easy success over seven furlongs. It appears he had hated being in Dubai, which is controversial given connections.

“To be brutally honest with you, he hadn’t really been trained [in Dubai],” Charlie confesses. “As soon as we got him back here, he got back into his routine and has been very straightforward.

“He's a horse that is very much in the Guineas picture still.”

Make that four.

The Craven comes and Hidden Force’s task is made easier by the late withdrawal of Doncaster hero Hawk Mountain. It’s not enough to help though, with the big chestnut failing to pick up and finishing a well-beaten third.

Charlie is stoical with Lydia on Racing TV.

“He travelled well and I thought at the business end, he might have picked up a little better than that. If he’d have won, he’d have bought himself a ticket into the Guineas – but he hasn’t, so he won’t be running.”

Three.

“Talk Of New York has come out of the race well. He took a step backwards in Dubai, he came forward but maybe it’s a step too far to pop him in the Guineas just yet.

“I’m pleased with the two horses that galloped – Distant Storm and King’s Trail. The Guineas is a race that I tend to come to with a racecourse gallop rather than a trial."

Two. Two chances.

But you only need one.

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