G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas | Horse Racing Free Tips

Royal Patronage Camp Leaning Toward The Derby

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who won the G3 Acomb S. and G2 Royal Lodge S. in succession in August and September, respectively, has developed well this winter and is likely to try the G1 Cazoo Derby route, according to co-trainer Charlie Johnston. Eighth in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. on Oct. 23 where he picked up an injury, the bay has been recuperating, but looks more of a “mile-and-a-quarter-plus” horse to Johnston and his co-trainer father Mark. Originally, the training duo had pencilled in a start in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas for the colt.

“We've had lots of excited Highclere owners coming here at regular intervals to see Royal Patronage, who seems to have wintered very well, but it is still very much the early days of his preparation for the season ahead,” said Charlie Johnston. “We won't see him before the Guineas at the absolute earliest and I think we're starting now to lean towards the route of starting in the [G2] Dante [S.] with a Derby run in mind. He's certainly the flagbearer [for the yard] in the 3-year-old division.

“It always sticks in my head that dad has always said the best trial for the Derby is the Guineas and I think, probably going into the winter, we thought we had that as the favourite place for him to start this year.

“Only when we start to do some faster work with him in March will we get a better handle on what distance is going to be optimum for him this season but looking at him, the physical shape and size of the horse now, he's starting to scream a mile-and-a-quarter-plus.”

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Mac Swiney Heads to the Derby, Royal Ascot For Poetic Flare

Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and his stablemate, G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas scorer Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) are bound for the G1 Cazoo Derby and Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S., respectively, owner/breeder/trainer Jim Bolger revealed on the Luck on Sunday programme.

Bolger told Luck on Sunday of Mac Swiney, “As they say in the west of Ireland, I was mighty impressed with him. I thought that he stuck to the task really well–any horse wishing to take him on and beat him in the future will have to be up for it because he isn't going to give in easily.”

A winner of half of his eight starts, the chestnut won the G2 Futurity S. last August and added the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy on Oct. 24. He was fourth in his 3-year-old bow behind current Derby favourite Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial S. at Leopardstown on May 9.

“I'm very fortunate that the two talented 3-year-olds colts I have at the moment both have great temperaments and they can take anything that I throw at them.

“They're only different in the amount of work that they take. Mac Swiney takes very little work, whereas the other fella takes an awful lot of work, which is why I felt he would stand up to the three Guineas.”

Added Bolger of his Derby hopeful, “I'm the world's worst punter, so asking me what price he should be wouldn't get a very knowledgeable answer. In my mind there isn't anything ahead of him–the form is there now.”

Poetic Flare, who won the G3 Killavullan S. at Leopardstown at two and took the Listed Ballylinch Stud “Red Rocks” 2000 Guineas Trial S. there on Apr. 11, contested all three Guineas. The bay reported home sixth in the G1 French 2000 Guineas in very soft ground on May 16 prior to his Irish Guineas second. His next target is most likely the St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot.

Bolger said, “The three Guineas came about the year I had Finsceal Beo. In the end it was a few showers of rain in France that cost us the French Guineas, otherwise we would have had all three.

“We realised this [Poetic Flare] was a very talented horse with a lot of durability about him. He's tough and he could take it.

“Apart from a few things we got wrong in France and then beating him ourselves with a different horse, we could have had the three, so it is possible.

“With a little different circumstance he could be the winner of three Guineas today and that would be fairly unique.

“I said earlier in the week that whatever beat Poetic Flare would win the race. It's not often I'm right, but I was right on that occasion.”

Bolger added, “I'd say there's a good chance that he will [run in the St James's Palace]. It depends how he gets on in the meantime, but I'd say he's more likely to turn up there than not.

“I'd say he'll stay at a mile. The only thing that might cause us to divert from that would be the Eclipse at Sandown, but then I have to keep that in mind for Mac Swiney as well.”

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Buick Opts For Master of the Seas in Guineas

Jockey William Buick has decided to ride G3 Craven S. hero Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas on May 1, Godolphin announced. Godolphin's retained jockey opted for the G2 Superlative S. hero, instead of One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who will be the mount of James Doyle. The latter has not raced since running second in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. in October.

“Five days out from the Guineas, I couldn't be happier with them,” said trainer Charlie Appleby, who also has stakes-winner and three-time Group 3-placed Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) entered in the first Classic of the UK season, on the Godolphin website. “One Ruler has been progressing nicely at home, while Master Of The Seas has gone to the races and put the score on the board.

“It wasn't an easy call for William, who rode Master Of The Seas in the Craven and then sat on One Ruler in a routine gallop at Moulton Paddocks last week.

“William asked some serious questions of Master Of The Seas in his race, and he was pleased with the response. I believed that's what clinched it in the end. Of course, the final call comes at declaration time on Thursday.”

One Ruler will be making his 3-year-old bow in the Guineas and won the G3 Autumn S. over the Rowley Mile last October.

“Things have also gone well with One Ruler,” Appleby added. “He is well in himself, and his work has been pleasing.

“Kieren Fallon, who has been riding him all winter, took him for a routine gallop at Moulton Paddocks on Saturday, and he was pleased. Kieren won the Guineas five times, so it's great to have a rider with that experience on the team.”

Other Godolphin Classic aspirants have had their next starts mapped out as well. Craven second and 'TDN Rising Star' La Barossa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is being aimed at the G1 French 2000 Guineas on May 16.

“He has done well since the Craven, and it is best to put a line though his previous run in France in the G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud [when fifth, beaten six and a quarter lengths]. He did not like the heavy ground.”

Unbeaten Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who has won a novice at Newmarket last October and a 10-furlong Newbury contest on Apr. 16, will target the G2 Dante S. at York on May 13. G3 Sandown Classic Trial second and third Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), will head to the Lingfield Derby Trial or Dante and the Chester Vase, respectively.

“We are very encouraged by the signs so far and excited with what we have,” Appleby said of his 3-year-old Classic prospects. “We are always looking for the next 3-year-old champion, and we are very happy the way this group are developing.

“The Dante is usually a very good trial for the Derby, and Hurricane Lane is worthy of having a crack at it. On all evidence so far, Adayar is going to appreciate stepping up in trip, which could be in the Lingfield Derby Trial. But he doesn't want the ground too quick, so he has the Dante at York as alternative.

“I was very pleased with Yabir's seasonal debut. He is only going to get better when he gets to a mile and a half, which he will get in the Chester Vase, his next race.

“I also plan to send Wirko (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) [Epsom's Listed Blue Riband Trial winner] to Chester for the Dee S. It will be more good experience for him. The Epsom race was a 'Win and You're In' for the Derby–we already know he can handle the track.”

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Alkumait Injured, Will Miss Guineas

A knee chip sustained while running in the G3 Greenham S. on Sunday has knocked Shadwell's Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) out of action until the autumn. The colt won a Goodwood maiden second up in July, and then added the G2 Mill Reef S. at Newbury on Sept. 19 prior to a last-placed run in the G1 Dewhurst S. on Oct. 10. Shelved until Apr. 18, the bay ran seventh in the Greenham over seven furlongs.

Shadwell Racing Manager Angus Gold said, “Sadly he's come out of it with a little chip on a knee, which we're going to have to take out. Apart from anything else, I think the run confirmed he doesn't stay, even if a chip on a knee was hardly going to help him.

“I think he's going to be a sprinter, but he'll miss the whole of the summer and we'll try to get him back in the autumn.”

Another Shadwell G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas hopeful that will skip the May 1 Classic is Mujbar (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}). Also a group winner as a juvenile taking the Oct. 24 G3 Horris Hill S., the bay colt will instead point to the G1 French 2000 Guineas on May 16. He ran eighth in the Greenham in his 3-year-old bow.

“All his best form last year was definitely with give in the ground and I think we learned the other day he would prefer it easier. He was also far too keen, anyway,” Gold added of Mujbar. “Hopefully we've got that out of him now on his first run back and we might look at the French Guineas or something like that. We'll see how he does between now and then, but he won't be going to Newmarket for the Guineas.”

'TDN Rising Star' Mutasaabeq (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is still a potential Guineas contender, but his next start has not been confirmed. A winner at Newmarket in October, he earned 'Rising Star' status with a six-length drubbing of his contemporaries in a seven-furlong conditions stakes at HQ on Apr. 13.

Gold added, “No decision has been made yet. We'll wait to hear from Sheikh Hamdan's family whether they would like to supplement him for the Guineas or head towards [Royal] Ascot and go the more gentle route.”

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