2,000 Guineas - Abbey and Aidan
April 26th 2010 23:42
Although the first leg of the US Triple Crown lost its emphatic favourite just one week from raced day - the English classic season begins with the running of the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas on Saturday - with short-priced favourite St Nicholas Abbey ready to go.
(photo: PA)
The unbeaten Montjeu colt, trained by champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, will have to defy the modern history of the race if he is to be successful. It is 38 years since a 2 year old winner of the Racing Post Trophy (Group One at Doncaster over a mile) has gone on to capture the 2,000 Guineas. Which should not be surprising as those 2 year olds who possess the stamina to win a mile event at two are often best suited as 3 year olds when stretched out to the mile and a half of the Epsom Derby. In the past decade High Chaparral, Motivator, and Authorized, have all gone on to win at Epsom after winning the Racing Post - and to further highlight this pattern of success (or failure) it should be noted that none of Aidan O’Brien’s five previous Guineas winners had tasted success over a mile as juveniles.
Looming as the most obvious danger to St Nicholas Abbey is the John Dunlop trained Elusive Pimpernel who easily won the Group Three Craven Stakes (one mile) at Newmarket by 4 lengths in a brilliant display. Clearly this raw 2 year old of last year - finishing a well beaten 2nd behind St Nicholas Abbey in the Racing Post last season - has returned as a stronger and more accomplished 3 year old.
With St Nicholas Abbey to resume as a 3 year old in the 2,000 Guineas there can be no comparison yet made for natural improvement - and the extent - between the two who head the top of the markets. St Nicholas Abbey was being mentioned in the same breath as Sea The Stars last season - perhaps then more as a whisper and promise than anything yet loud and certain. We will soon know if the whisper will gather into a roar - or perhaps fade from lips.
Latest Coral betting:
6/4 St Nicholas Abbey
4/1 Elusive Pimpernel
7/1 Canford Cliffs
8/1 Awzaan
12/1 Fencing Master
14/1 Inler
14/1 Xtension
St Nicholas Abbey crushing his rivals in the Racing Post Trophy
(photo: PA)
The unbeaten Montjeu colt, trained by champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, will have to defy the modern history of the race if he is to be successful. It is 38 years since a 2 year old winner of the Racing Post Trophy (Group One at Doncaster over a mile) has gone on to capture the 2,000 Guineas. Which should not be surprising as those 2 year olds who possess the stamina to win a mile event at two are often best suited as 3 year olds when stretched out to the mile and a half of the Epsom Derby. In the past decade High Chaparral, Motivator, and Authorized, have all gone on to win at Epsom after winning the Racing Post - and to further highlight this pattern of success (or failure) it should be noted that none of Aidan O’Brien’s five previous Guineas winners had tasted success over a mile as juveniles.
Looming as the most obvious danger to St Nicholas Abbey is the John Dunlop trained Elusive Pimpernel who easily won the Group Three Craven Stakes (one mile) at Newmarket by 4 lengths in a brilliant display. Clearly this raw 2 year old of last year - finishing a well beaten 2nd behind St Nicholas Abbey in the Racing Post last season - has returned as a stronger and more accomplished 3 year old.
With St Nicholas Abbey to resume as a 3 year old in the 2,000 Guineas there can be no comparison yet made for natural improvement - and the extent - between the two who head the top of the markets. St Nicholas Abbey was being mentioned in the same breath as Sea The Stars last season - perhaps then more as a whisper and promise than anything yet loud and certain. We will soon know if the whisper will gather into a roar - or perhaps fade from lips.
Latest Coral betting:
6/4 St Nicholas Abbey
4/1 Elusive Pimpernel
7/1 Canford Cliffs
8/1 Awzaan
12/1 Fencing Master
14/1 Inler
14/1 Xtension
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