The Curragh recently reopened its doors for a new flat racing season, with the Irish Lincolnshire kicking off proceedings for those who bet on horse racing, and it’s not long now until the iconic track will feature again in the big race results when it plays host to the prestigious Irish Guineas.
The first two Classics of the year, the 2,000 Irish Guineas will take place on May 24. The 1,000 Irish Guineas — exclusively for fillies —will take place 24 hours later—much like the British versions of the race, which will take place at Newmarket a couple of weeks earlier.
With a star-studded field of potential runners, let’s take a look at the early favourites for the Irish 2,000 Guineas as we hurtle towards the first Classic.
Expanded
It’s not often that master trainer Aidan O’Brien sends his horses to both versions of the Guineas, so with Expanded now looking likely to head to Newmarket as the ante-post favourite following the news that The Lion In Winter might not make, we might not see him at the Curragh.
However, he’s also the market leader for the Irish edition at this very early stage. Therefore, we can’t overlook him. The three-year-old won a maiden at this track over seven furlongs when making a late debut in October.
But he was beaten by a neck by Godolphin’s Shadow Of Light when turned out for the prestigious Dewhurst at Newmarket the following week. It was a big ask for Expanded, given the quick turnaround and the soft ground, but it was a good effort.
Twain
O’Brien does have a knack for splitting up his exciting three-year-olds when it comes to the Guineas, though. So, if Expanded is the better option for Newmarket, then Twain—the joint favourite for the British edition—could be redirected to the Curragh.
The three-year-old was another late bloomer for Ballydoyle, making a stunning debut at Leopardstown in October when beating Mississippi River by a commanding six lengths from 28/1 in a maiden.
Like his stablemate, Twain was sent back out just eight days later when shipped to France for the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. However, unlike Expanded, the race didn’t prove too soon for this horse, as he beat his fellow O’Brien-trained rival, Mount Kilimanjaro, by over a length.
Ruling Court
The first non-O’Brien-trained horse on the list, Ruling Court could mark a second Irish Guineas victory for Charlie Appleby, William Buick and Godolphin—who landed the 2022 renewal with Native Trial in 2022.
The esteemed operation have an array of options in the British renewal, with four horses in the top eight of the ante-post market. However, Ruling Court is the least likely of those potential runners with odds of 14/1, so could head here instead as Godolphin outline their seasonal blueprints.
A winner at Sandown last summer, the three-year-old was third to The Lion In Winer in the Acomb Stakes at York in August. He reappeared with an empathic win in Meydan recently, scoring at Listed level over a mile in the Jumeirah 2000 Guineas. That could prove to be a good trial for this.