2024 2000 Guineas Ante-Post Preview & Tip – DS
2024 2000 Guineas Ante-Post Tip
It was bitterly disappointing to see that Greatgadian wasn’t declared for the Lincoln today. The Spring Double goes down the swanee in record time. Hopefully Stattler makes it to the Grand National. We’ll be posting another tip for Doncaster tomorrow in our Saturday preview. Now, Dave Stevos is going to have a go at finding some e/w value in the 2024 2000 Guineas.
Newmarket – 2024 2000 Guineas (Group 1)
Less than six weeks to go until the first Classic of the flat season. Obviously, it is impossible to know what sort of ground it is going to be this far out. However, judging from recent weather, the smart money would probably be on there being soft in the description.
Aidan O’Brien revealed this week that City Of Troy is his sole intended runner. The now 8/11 favourite has yet to taste defeat and he was mightily impressive when hosing up in the Dewhurst. After seeing some photos of him this week he looks to have strengthened up massively in the off season and the son of Justify is going to be hard to beat.
Hugely Promising
Is there anything that could go well at a price? The one that caught my eye at around 66/1 is the impeccably bred Inisherin. This strapping son of Shamardal is out of Ajman Princess, a daughter of Teofilo who won the G1 Prix Jean Romanet in 2017. She is closely related to classy performers Ostilio and 33/1 Queen Anne winner Triple Time.
He is one of three entries for his owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum and on the bare form of his two runs, he has no chance. However, he ran a huge race on his debut to chase home a solid 90 horse in Bellum Justum and only for greenness (and also possibly carrying a bit of condition), he would have beaten that rival.
Powerful Sort
He looked a really strong, powerful sort and Cliff Lee always had him close to the pace. He was travelling like a dream 2f out but when Lee went for him, he didn’t really put his head down immediately and he was just looking around a bit. However, he knuckled down in the last 50 yards and while he was beaten half a length, he ran through the line strong.
Kevin Ryan’s charge reappeared at Newcastle a couple of weeks ago and this time, he knew his job. Eaves sent him to the front, he cruised through the race and he just had to push him out to win easy by 3.5L. The runner up had previously won a maiden so there is at least a little bit of substance to the form.
No Derby Entry
If this lad’s first two runs are anything to go by, he’s going to stay further than a mile and I’m a bit surprised he’s not entered in the Derby. He seemed to enjoy the fast ground here on his debut but Shamardal’s good ones often go on any surface and his dam’s Shamardal half-brother Cape Byron won his pattern races on testing ground. Ideally, I’d like it to be good or quicker.
The way this horse travels suggests that he’ll be very well suited by a strongly run race. That usually happens in this contest and if it does, his proven stamina for a mile could stand to him. To my eye, it looks like he has a decent turn of foot and you need that to run well in the Guineas.
After his win at Newcastle Kevin Ryan said on his website that they might aim him at a trial now. If he goes and wins, there is no way he’ll be 66/1 for this contest. He almost certainly looks like a potential black type performer, hopefully he can pick some up at Newmarket. At 66s, Inisherin is the 2024 2000 Guineas ante-post e/w selection.
