2000 Guineas Tips: Back this 50/1 shot to make the frame at Newmarket

Unbeaten colt Native Trail will put his lofty reputation on the line on Saturday when he takes on 14 rivals in the 2022 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, and we preview the first Classic of the season here and have a big-priced selection for the Group 1 showpiece...

The star juvenile, who rocketed to the top of the juvenile rankings last season with fine wins in the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh and Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, returned to Flat HQ a few weeks ago and breezed to Craven Stakes glory, and he will now look to emulate that win this weekend. A red-hot favourite for the 2000 Guineas, Native Trail showed a sparkling turn of foot to kick clear of his rivals in most of his races last season, and while he took a little time to get going in the Craven once he was pushed into overdrive he quickened tremendously to scoot clear.

William Buick is sure to try and keep things easy and hold his son of Oasis Dream just off the pace before unleashing that trademark kick to soar to victory, and if he can continue to show his class then it's hard not to see him get his head in front and maintain his 100% record. However, there are a plethora of exciting three-year-olds doing battle and one or two could be better value alternatives.

Charlie Appleby will not only have Native Trail running for him, but the second favourite Coroebus will also carry the colours of Godolphin for the same trainer and he is another exciting three-year-old colt for team Appleby and was last seen winning the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket last season. Prior to that he was beaten by Royal Patronage in the Royal Lodge Stakes over course and distance and that Mark Johnston-trained raider will also feature on Saturday, but Coroebus can turn that form around as he was impressive last time out and looks a star. However, he's not been seen this campaign so far, so may just ultimately come unstuck to Native Trail, who has race fitness on his side.

Aidan O'Brien has a stunning record in this race and has won the event ten times, and he will be hoping that the talented Luxembourg, who is already a warm order for The Derby, can prevail here. A winner of the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster at the end of last season, the son of Camelot will certainly have his work cut out to reign over a mile, as the Derby trip of a mile-and-a-half looks much more suitable, but he's a real class act and adds huge intrigue to the race.

A fine winner of the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot last season, Point Lonsdale will be the second shot fired by the O'Brien gun, but that Ballydoyle raider was no match for Native Trail in the National Stakes last September, and it's hard to see him reversing that form from the Curragh.

Richard Fahey will bid for his first 2000 Guineas success and he will saddle Perfect Power, who warmed up for this with a fine win in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury a few weeks ago, and having won the Middle Park last season he looks a talented contender. However, the step up to a mile could be a major worry, and he may just get gobbled up late on by some better stayers.

Hugo Palmer's Dubawi Legend chased home Native Trail in the Dewhurst Stakes and a repeat of that effort could see him stand out as a value each-way play at around 16/1, but he failed to fire on his next start when way down the field in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, so he's another with a cloud hanging over him.

Of the others, one that is of interest at huge odds is the Jim Bolger-trained BOUNDLESS OCEAN, who finally broke his maiden tag at the fifth time of asking last time out at Leopardstown, but the son of Teofilo could be overpriced around the 50/1 mark and could easily make the frame. That victory came over ten furlongs, so he could well be more of a Derby prospect (40/1), but he was narrowly beaten over seven furlongs prior to that maiden success, so he does possess some speed and has to be respected. 

Having trained New Approach (2013) and Poetic Flare (2021) to glory in the 2000 Guineas, Bolger certainly knows what it takes to win the first Classic of the season, and Boundless Ocean could be a huge improver as the season progresses, and with this being his third start this campaign then he will be firing on all cylinders here. Sure to be doing all his best work late on, he could well get into the picture as they meet the rising ground at at huge odds he's worth a speculative play on.