German 2000 Guineas Centre Stage On Monday

Sunday, May 19, 2024 | 3:29 pm

By Tom Frary

Ten Bob Tony ridden by Tom Marquand (left) passes Boiling Point ridden by James Doyle on their way to winning the bet365 EBF Conditions Stakes on day one of the bet365 Craven Meeting at Newmarket Racecourse. Picture date: Tuesday April 16, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story RACING Newmarket. Photo credit should read: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.

Cologne is the focal point of the next European Classic action on Monday, with the G2 Coolmore St Mark's Basilica German 2000 Guineas hosting the unbeaten Maigret (Ger) (Counterattack {Aus}) and a pair of British raiders in Devil's Point (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and Ten Bob Tony (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). While the former looked the best of his generation at around this trip when winning Krefeld's 8 1/2-furlong G3 Dr Busch-Memorial last month, the foreign contingent have been mixing it in the big time with Ten Bob Tony taking part in the G1 2000 Guineas.

Darker prospects are the course-and-distance Hein Bollow-Memorial first and second Iron Man (Ger) (Tai Chi {Ger}) and Penalty (Ger) (Frankel {GB}), with the latter two kilos better off for a 1 1/4-length defeat.

At Saint-Cloud, the G2 Prix Corrida sees last year's G2 Prix de Pomone winner and G1 Prix Vermeille runner-up Melo Melo (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) tackle the Wertheimers' TDN Rising Star Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) who was runner-up in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix Allez France last month.