Seventeen colts remain in Saturday's G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, including the long-time hot favourite Air Force Blue (War Front). Among those to have been scratched at the latest confirmation stage was the favourite's stablemate Washington DC (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), but trainer Aidan O'Brien has left Air Vice Marshal (War Front) and the G3 Craven S. placegetter Shogun (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the race, as well as the maiden winner Bravery (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). At a press conference in Newmarket on Monday, Coolmore's UK-based representative Kevin Buckley issued an upbeat bulletin on last season's champion juvenile.
“Air Force Blue has had a faultless preparation and he's wintered well,” said Buckley. “He has grown and developed strength and scope during that time. Naturally there has to be some form of concern when stepping up to a mile, but his training and his physique both indicate he should cope with it, even though there's a fair amount of speed from the War Front sireline.”
Ballydoyle's other War Front colt, Air Vice Marshal, hasn't been seen on the racecourse since finishing runner-up to Birchwood (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G2 Superlative S. last July.
Buckley added, “Air Vice Marshal had a minor setback last year and then the ground went against him at the end of the season. Shogun would probably prefer better ground. There was a lot of rain before the Craven as we know, but he finished his race well and he is a full-brother to the Oaks winner Qualify (Ire).”
He continued, “Aidan [O'Brien] chose to leave them in to be safe. There's only one chance to run in the English 2000 Guineas and every year since King Of Kings (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) we've run at least two horses.”
The Jim Bolger-trained Godolphin colt Round Two (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was another to be taken out of the race on Monday but Godolphin could still be represented by the likes of G2 Coventry S. hero Buratino (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), G2 Futurity S. scorer Herald The Dawn (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), who landed the G2 Mill Reef S. last September.
Michael O'Callaghan has left in G3 Killavullan S. conqueror Blue De Vega (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) despite expressing concerns last week that the race might come a bit soon for the colt, while Peter Chapple-Hyam has declared himself happy with his challenger Marcel (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), who will be carrying the silks of Paul Makin for the first time on Saturday.
“He has every chance of being in the first three and if there is a chink in the favourite's armour, then I hope I'm the one to catch him out,” said Chapple-Hyam of last October's G1 Racing Post Trophy S. hero.
Hugo Palmer has more or less committed Al Shaqab Racing's Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), who captured the G2 Vintage S. last term, to run as long as the ground is good or slower.
“The French Guineas is still a possibility. I had a long chat with Frankie [Dettori] before the weekend about which direction we should go in, ” said Palmer. “Frankie feels that if the ground is fast then the speedier horses might just do him for toe in the dip, but on good ground or slower he feels he has a good chance in the Guineas and is keen to ride him in it. There are 15 days between Newmarket and the French Guineas so it's possible for any of the horses running on Saturday to run in both,” added Palmer.
Recent G3 Craven S. winner Stormy Antarctic (GB) (Stormy Atlantic) heads the remainder of the field at this confirmation stage, which also includes First Selection (Spa) (Diktat {GB}), Kentuckyconnection (Include), Massaat (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}),Taqdeer (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}), Zhui Feng (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Zonderland (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}).
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