Following Monday's confirmation stage, 17 colts remain in contention for Saturday's Betfred 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, headed by the impressive G3 Craven Stakes winner Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}).
The potential field is down from the 24-strong group who stood their ground at the latest entry stage, with last year's G2 Coventry Stakes scorer Rashabar (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and G1 Futurity Trophy hero Hotazhell (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) featuring among those who were taken out of the race on Monday.
Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Detain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Noble Champion (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Stanhope Gardens (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) and Tuscan Hills (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) will also miss the first British Classic of the season.
The John and Thady-Gosden trained Field Of Gold is the sponsor's 2/1 favourite to follow up his Craven victory over the same course and distance, ahead of Ballydoyle's unbeaten Twain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at 5/1. The unexposed Ruling Court (Justify) and last year's G1 National Stakes hero Scorthy Champ (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) are next best at 7/1, with 15/2 shot Shadow Of Light (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Europe's champion two-year-old colt of 2024, the only other contender currently trading at single-figure odds.
Meanwhile, the Charlie Appleby-trained Desert Flower (Ire), a stable-mate of Ruling Court and Shadow Of Light, remains a warm order for the Betfred 1,000 Guineas after the daughter of Night Of Thunder (Ire) featured among 15 confirmations for Sunday's Classic.
Unbeaten in four starts as a two-year-old, culminating with a wide-margin success in the G1 Fillies' Mile, Desert Flower is Betfred's 10/11 favourite to make it five from five when she lines up at Newmarket. Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), herself a three-time winner at the top level in 2024, heads the list of potential dangers at 7/2, along with Red Letter (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at 5/1 and Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) at 12/1. That pair finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in last year's G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes won by Lake Victoria.
Celestial Orbit (GB) (No Nay Never), Ellaria Sand (GB) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}) and Trad Jazz (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) were the three fillies taken out of the race on Monday, while the recent G3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes winner Duty First (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) is a 14/1 chance with Betfred after being supplemented at a cost of £30,000.
“That was the natural path [the 1,000 Guineas] after her win the other day,” said Billy Jackson-Stops, racing manager for owners Victorious Racing. “It was a bit of a formality we were going to have a go at the Guineas, so we supplemented her this morning. Archie [Watson]'s been very happy with her. We left it [the decision] slightly up to Archie as the trainer and he said that was the natural fit for her.
“We spoke to Shaikh Nasser [Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, founder of Victorious Racing] this morning. He's very excited about her and he's really looking forward to the Guineas.”
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