2000 Guineas Tips 2024: Each-Way Play Against City Of Troy
As the winter months have slowly passed, hibernating flat fans have kept warm with the thought of one horse in particular; CITY OF TROY. Aidan O'Brien's star comes to the 2000 Guineas with no supporting cast - which could be a tactics tip in itself - and is odds-on across the board. Billy Grimshaw is one of many who cannot wait to see him out at three, but at the prices is keen to be with one further down the odds grids each-way who should love this test...
Let me start with an admission. If my tip is beaten by five lengths in this race - he'd best come second mind you - by the outstanding City Of Troy, I will not be too downhearted. Horse racing needs star power and there is no denying when the biggest names miss out on their big targets, it hurts the sport.
Constitution Hill missing Cheltenham was a prime example of that. I want City Of Troy to be every bit as good as his handler and those at Ballydoyle have said. I'd love to see him blitz away from this field and see his price slashed still further for Derby glory at Epsom. But as ever in betting and racing, price is everything.
There is little doubt in my mind City Of Troy will kick on and be the best horse in this field - it would be massively disappointing if that's not the case unless he is beaten by one with equal potential we are yet to really see. However, it is the accepted wisdom that he will be at his very best over further. 4/6 for a 2000 Guineas over a mile against speedier types? Not for me. If you can find any juicy specials for him to win this, the Derby and so on then I could not put you off, but we simply have to find something to take him on with for each-way purposes in here.
Rosallion is probably a smidgen too short now for that sort of bet considering I do think the majority of this bet will be about the place part. Richard Hannon has been purring about his horse and as we know he can rival Aidan O'Brien in his effusive praise of his runners before big targets.
Nevertheless he does look a smart colt and it is interesting that Hannon was so keen to stress that he would batter Craven winner Haatem in a match race. That made me more keen on Rosallion but certainly made me shy away from the Craven as a trial or a good piece of form moving forward.
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I liked what we saw from Task Force last year and toyed with putting him up, however the Frankel colt looks a league below City Of Troy and to my eye also looks like one who will improve when stepped up in trip further. The stable form was also a bit of a concern as Ralph Beckett's team are hardly setting the world alight just yet, and at similar price I ruled out the impressive looking Night Raider for a more in-form team of Karl Burke.
My main concern with him is he is yet to run on turf, so as much as I think he'll turn out a very smart colt I can't back him with much confidence in here.
Notable Speech has done absolutely nothing wrong for William Buick, Charlie Appleby and Godolphin and they've proven over the years they know how to get one cherry ripe for early May to scoop this pot.
He was unbeaten at two and looked to have a great attitude, improving with each run and showing he was learning about his job each time. The trouble is, all these wins were achieved in relatively lowly contests at Kempton. He is proven over a mile at least and is bred to act on turf, but falls into a similar category as Night Raider for me.
There are other outsiders who I've not mentioned, but sticking out like a sore thumb to be backed I believe is GHOSTWRITER for Clive Cox. The trainer has been telling anyone who'll listen this horse is the best he's had and while on the bare results he has not shown that yet, he is another who comes here with three wins and an unbeaten record at two. What I love about him is the course experience he's already got, and his smooth style of running.
He cruised up to win the Royal Lodge on his last start last year, a performance that really caught my eye and with some of the slight greenness he showed that day now hopefully ironed out. I think he looks massively overpriced compared to all in here bar the hot favourite. Cox is more well known for his sprinters, but is a fine trainer of runners over any distance and he insists the horse is far better for a winter behind him.
Ghostwriter will handle the prelims, the track at Newmarket and should be able to keep up with anything that tries to make the pace while also having no stamina concerns. Back him each-way, as we do not know what sort of a monster City Of Troy is, but I am quietly confident of a very big run indeed.