Steve Ryder has one ante-post selection for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket as John and Thady Gosden go in search of their first win in the race.
2000 Guineas 2025
We're at Newmarket on Saturday for the first of the five Classics in Britain for this flat season. It is a race that John and Thady Gosden have so far failed to win but they have the favourite this time around.
Going into Monday's five-day confirmation stage there are 24 runners still in contention for the 2000 Guineas - eight are trained in Ireland.
Field Of Gold became ante-post favourite for the race following his success in the Craven Stakes and he bids to go one better than his sire Kingman did 2014 for the same connections.
2000 Guineas Winners, Trends & Stats
This race has been won by top class milers such as Frankel, Dawn Approach and Gleneagles but it is also a race that has been used as a trial for the Derby with both Camelot and Sea The Stars winning both classics and Australia, Auguste Rodin and City Of Troy winning the Derby having been beaten in this race.
- 21 of the previous 23 winners had won over at least 7f before
- 20 of the previous 23 winners had won a group race prior to this race
- 18 of the previous 23 winners won last time out
- 15 of the previous 23 winners were having their first run of the season
- 14 of the previous 23 winners had won just two or three races in their career before
- Nine of the previous 23 winners were trained by Aidan O’Brien
2000 Guineas Key Runners & Contenders
Field Of Gold
Won the Group 3 Solario Stakes at Sandown last season before finishing 4th behind Camille Pissarro in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on soft ground. Returned with a dominant performance in the Group 3 Craven Stakes over this course and distance and is a worthy favourite at the head of the market.
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Twain
Defied odds of 28/1 to make a winning debut at Leopardstown in October on soft ground before winning the Group 1 Criterium International over a mile on heavy ground on his next start under Ryan Moore. He looks the stable number 1 for Aidan O’Brien who has won this race a record ten times.
Scorthy Champ
All three of his career starts have come over 7f on good ground resulting in two victories. He finished 3rd beaten two lengths in the Group 2 Futurity Stakes behind Henri Matisse before reversing that form in the Group 1 National Stakes on his final start last season.
Shadow Of Light
Won four of his five starts as a juvenile including two Group 1s at this track. He won the Middle Park by four lengths before beating Expanded by a neck in the Dewhurst Stakes over 7f on soft ground.
Ruling Court
Cost 2,300,000 euros as a breeze up purchase prior to winning at Sandown on his debut by 5 ½ lengths. Finished 3rd to The Lion In Winter in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes on his next start before winning the listed Jumeirah 2000 Guineas in Meydan on his reappearance this season. Coroebus won this as a ‘second string’ in 2022 so he warrants respect even if William Buick chooses not to ride him.
Expanded
Won on his debut at the Curragh over 7f before finishing a neck 2nd only a week later in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at this course. According to his trainer Aidan O’Brien he is more likely to head to the French 2000 Guineas instead.
Cosmic Year
Unbeaten in his two career starts but is likely to head to the French 2000 Guineas instead with Juddmonte owning the favourite Field Of Gold.
Henri Matisse
Won four times last season including in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in November. Won a Group 3 on his reappearance over 7f staying on strongly at the finish shaping like this step up in trip to a mile would suit him well. He is another who has the option of the French 2000 Guineas instead.
Green Impact
Beat the talented Delacroix twice last season including in the Group 2 Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown over this trip of a mile in September. Jessie Harrington also had the option of running Group 1 winner Hotazhell so it appears a positive that the stable run the son of Wootton Bassett instead.
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2000 Guineas Trainers & Jockeys to Watch
Aidan O’Brien holds the record for the most wins in the 2000 Guineas with 10 victories including eight in the previous 20 renewals. In that time, Charlie Appleby won the race twice as well as both Jim Bolger and Andrew Balding who have won it on two occasions each.
Ryan Moore won the race twice in recent years for Aidan O’Brien in 2015 and 2017, with Oisin Murphy (2020) and William Buick (2024) the only other riders likely to be riding in the race to have won the race recently.
2000 Guineas Ground Conditions & Weather
The long-range forecast looks to be for hot, sunny weather in the lead up to the race so it is likely to be run on good/good to firm ground. This should suit the favourite Field Of Gold whose defeat in France came on soft ground and it may hinder the chances of Twain who has won both of his starts on soft and heavy ground.
2000 Guineas Pace & Tactics
The 2000 Guineas has been won previously with a range of different tactics but Newmarket has recently been subject to a draw bias rather than a pace bias in recent meetings. The far side rail was the optimum place to race during the Craven meeting so it may be worth analysing the action from Friday prior to trying to work out whether it will be beneficial to be drawn high or low in the race.
Betting Insights for the 2000 Guineas
Night Of Thunder reversed form from a trial to beat Kingman in the 2000 Guineas in 2014 and I am hoping that WIMBLEDON HAWKEYE (best priced at 33/1) can do the same this year.
The son of Kameko (who won the race in 2020) defied odds of 28/1 to win on his debut at Kempton before finishing a close 3rd in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes on his next start at Newmarket on the July course.
He then split star juvenile The Lion In Winter and the reopposing Ruling Court (who is a third of the price) in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York before winning over this course and distance in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes.
It was his fifth run of the year when third in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster behind Hotazhell and I thought Harry Davies gave him a sympathetic ride once Field Of Gold went past him in the Craven Stakes on his reappearance.
He has proved that he handles fast ground, the mile trip and the Rowley Mile course and he looks overpriced against rivals who have a lot more questions marks than him at present.
