Weekend Winners: Is City Of Troy a good thing for the 2000 Guineas?

The Weekend Winners panel are back and this week they look at the excellent action from Newmarket for the 2000 Guineas; Declan Rix goes against the grain to select a 33/1 shot for Saturday’s feature race

Friday 3 May 2024 16:05, UK

Could it be an 11th 2000 Guineas success for Aidan O’Brien with City Of Troy or could something cause an upset? Who are the Weekend Winners panel going for?

Host Kate Tracey is joined by BetVictor's Sam Boswell and Declan Rix of attheraces.com to pick out their best bets for the race, and they also look at the 1000 Guineas and the 150th Kentucky Derby.

Declan Rix

"I'm not going to back City Of Troy at that price, I'm more than happy to take him on. As I say in this game, you can't have enough superstars and he definitely had that potential last year, he was incredible in the Dewhurst.

"He's got it all really, he's got a high cruising speed, I love the way moves and carries himself. He's not overly big, he's obviously well bred and he does so much damage in the closing stages of these races. If my bet, which is Haatem, doesn't go in, I hope this guy bolts up.

"I'm going to take him on with one at the price. Haatem on the back of what has been as miserable winter and spring has shown his hand and is an improved horse. He ran in the Coventry stakes last year but he's a much better horse now, especially up over a mile.

"There's plenty of size and substance to him, he got bigger and stronger over the winter and into the spring, he's just a lovely uncomplicated horse who is unexposed up over a mile from a top team. This is an uncomplicated horse with a good attitude who could at least hit the frame."

Sam Boswell

"I thought Dec was starting to make a good case for the favourite! Lets take the price out of it, if you knew City Of Troy had trained on, he'd be significantly shorter.

"I think City Of Troy will put down a real marker, his run in the Dewhurst last year was just so spectacularly good. The conditions that the trainer didn't think was going to suit means that we don't have to worry particularly about if there was some more unscheduled rain and the ground eased, but if it's on good ground it will be absolutely perfect to see a monster effort.

"I appreciate that people want to compare and seek out guineas winners that are going to live up to Frankel. I'm not trying to put any horse in a category like that before he's gone on and done something better than he's achieved so far. But if we're going to have a superstar, you've got four unbeaten horses in here and he's the only one that's got the form that warrants that kind of tag."

Kate Tracey

"I think this is a class race even taking away the top two, it's a 2000 Guineas with a lot of depth to it. I am with City Of Troy, I just think that he is the new superstar on the block and I would be so disappointed if he wasn't.

"Everything we saw of him last year, the form has been boosted as you've both said, subsequently, that Superlative form from his penultimate start has been boosted by him winning the Dewhurst.

"The form speaks volumes and he's been doing it at a hack canter. He's so versatile, he's so straightforward, it is just that question on whether he has trained on. I don't think it's a bad price for a horse where I believe the hype is real."

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