Irish 2000 Guineas (Group 1)

www.patternracing.com

3 years ago

A great weekend in prospect with three Group 1’s at the Curragh. On Saturday the Irish 2000 Guineas is the feature and on Sunday we have the Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Irish 1000 Guineas.

Proud and Regal at the Curragh last September

In the 2000 Guineas, the second, third and fourth from the English Guineas all travel making it a great test.

The market suggests Royal Scotsman, third at Newmarket will turn over the form with Hi Royal who was second with Galeron filling forth. While all come to the Curragh with smart form they were no match for the winner Chaldean who waits for Royal Ascot.

Aidan O’Brien sends three to post. Paddington has developed into a contender over the spring. He was a 5L winner of a backend Maiden last year. This year he won the Madrid Handicap at Naas and the Tetrarch Stakes here. Cairo took the Killavullan Stakes last October looking a good prospect. The Kentucky Derby plan misfired when he couldn’t handle the kickback in Meyden. It will be good to see him back on turf.

Of the home team, the best form comes in the shape of Donnacha O’Brien’s, Proud and Regal. Last year he was a winner twice at Group level taking the G3 Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown, with Aidan’s other runner Age Of Kings back in third (not seen since), and then took the G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud.

Royal Scotsman did get within a head of Chaldean in the Dewhurst making him a worthy favourite however when you take into account Proud and Regal’s second in the G1 National Stakes to Al Riffa, overall it is the Irish horse who boasts the best juvenile form of the field.

While the English trio were short of guns to match Chaldean at Newmarket they’ll improve for the run. Paddington is also on the up however the strength of what Proud and Regal did as a juvenile is very attractive. This year he’s had a run in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown where he finished third (bumped in running), and that pipe opener will have brought him on. He’s the choice to give Donnacha and Gavin Ryan a first Irish 2000 Guineas.

Recommendation

Proud and Regal 5/1 win