The colts will line up at Newmarket on Saturday, May 4 when it is likely that much of the attention will focus on the unbeaten City Of Troy (Justify), who at this stage is the ante-post favourite for the 2,000 Guineas. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, he has left Ireland for two of his three starts to win the G2 Superlative S. at Newmarket's July Course followed by the G1 Dewhurst S. on the Rowley Mile.

City Of Troy's stable-mate Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a son of the 1,000 Guineas winner Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), is currently second-favourite and is one of eight entries in the race for the Ballydoyle stable. The other two Irish-trained entries are the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. winner Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), trained by Adrian Murray, and Jim Bolger's unraced Clean Energy (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}).

The G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Rosallion (Ire) could become an important first Classic runner for his sire Blue Point (Ire) and represents Richard Hannon Jr., who won the race 10 years ago with Night Of Thunder (Ire) and also has Son (GB) entered this year. He too is by a second-season sire in Too Darn Hot (GB). In that same category is Sons And Lovers (GB), by Study Of Man (Ire), who is one of four entries for Jane Chapple-Hyam, two of which are owned by former trainer Peter Harris.

Charlie Appleby has three colts entered led by the G1 Kameko Futurity Trophy winner Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Saaeed Bin Suroor, who won last year's 1,000 Guineas with Mawj (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), has one of the Godophin quartet, Olympic Candle (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}).

Eve Johnson Houghton has entered Mister Sketch (GB) (Territories {Ire}) for Wathnan Racing and the G3 Acomb S. winner Indian Run (Ire) (Sioux Nation) for the Bronte Collection, while David Menuisier has three colts entered including the G1 Criterium International winner Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}).

Aidan O'Brien is also the trainer of the favourite for the following day's 1,000 Guineas, Opera Singer. Like City Of Troy, she is by Coolmore's American-based sire and Triple Crown winner Justify, and she won last season's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac. 

Opera Singer is one of 16 Irish-trained fillies engaged in the race, including eight from her own stable, while Paddy Twomey could have two runners, Purple Lily (Ire) (Calyx {Ire}) and One Look (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), and Natalia Lupini has her first Classic entrant in Kitty Rose (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}). 

Ollie Sangster is another young trainer with a frost Classic hope in Shuwari (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), along with Amy Murphy, the trainer of Needlepoint (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}).

The G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Fallen Angel (GB) is currently the leading British-trained hope and is one of two entries for her trainer Karl Burke along with Darnation (Ire). Both fillies are by Too Darn Hot. Fallen Angel represents Steve Parkin's Clipper Logistics, which also has the William Haggas-trained Love Dynasty (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) engaged in the 1,000 Guineas.

Among the four fillies entered from the John and Thady Gosden stable is Cheveley Park Stud's Listed winner Regal Jubilee (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

Christopher Head is the sole French trainer with an entry and she is another daughter of Justify, Ramatuelle, who was only narrowly beaten by Vandeek (GB) in the G1 Prix Morny. 

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GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and G2 Gimcrack S. winner Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}) are both under consideration for QIPCO 2,000 Guineas in just over a fortnight's time and they stretched out over seven furlongs in a serious piece of work under James Doyle and William Buick respectively.

Noble Style, not seen on the racecourse since his success at York in August, was first up in company with Listed-winning stablemate Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), whose half-sister Silver Lady (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) won impressively on debut at Newmarket on Wednesday. 

Silver Knott followed, easing past his fellow three-year-old, the Listed winner and Group 2-placed Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

Appleby admitted to being uncertain as to whether Noble Style will see out the mile of the Guineas. “We will be going into it with that mindset to be brutally honest, hoping that we will see the Guineas trip out,” he said. “Our decision will be, are we going to be a miler or are we going to be dropping him back?

“On the evidence of what I've seen there we will still be going into the Guineas with that question on the back of our minds. It is all very well what we have done here this morning but it will be a different ball game when those gates open in the Guineas going a fair rattle on quick ground. Stepping up from six [furlongs] to a mile is a big leap of faith really but, as I've said, it is a Guineas and he deserves to be in the race being a Gimcrack winner.”

Appleby added, “I purposely asked William to give Noble Style a good gallop this morning as there are things we are trying to work out about him. In his work at home he has always had that peacock head carriage.

“I said to William we have worked all winter to try and get him to drop that. Being in front he drops it but being in behind he has that peacock head carriage. That is why I asked William to just grab hold of him as it is the first time he has been grabbed hold of all winter. We have spent a lot of time trying to get him to drop that head it was now time to go and ask about his business.

“He has had a good blow this morning and I'm pleased. I think we will see a big improvement from here onwards.”

Silver Knott has had the benefit of six starts, including two Group 3 wins at home in the UK, as well as an overseas trip to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup.

Appleby said of the son of Group 1 winner God Given (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), “The one thing with Silver Knott is that he is professional. For me, he has got a great profile coming into a Guineas in what he has achieved so far.

“James said he is not electric and doesn't really quicken but he just keeps lengthening, that is the sort of horse he is. He sees the mile out strong. He is a horse that will come forward a good bit for this morning.”

He continued, “I questioned how he would take America but the one thing was he grew up so much in that week out there. He was a horse that surprised me how he took it as he wasn't originally on the America list.

“Mysterious Knight was going to go there, but Silver Knott took his slot. The interesting thing was how much he grew up in his time there and he has shown that all winter subsequently. He has been an ultimate professional that goes out and just does his work. He is not flash but does everything that is asked of him.”

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G3 Craven S. winner Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are currently first and second favourites for the 2000 Guineas ahead of the Aidan O'Brien-trained Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).

“William [Buick] sat on Native Trail on Saturday and was very pleased with the way he galloped, and from what we have seen to date we are very pleased with how he has come out of the gallop most importantly,” Appleby said in an update Godolphin.com.

“James [Doyle] will get the ride on Coroebus. He sat on him on Saturday. He sat on him midweek as well as he hasn't ridden him in any of his races to date. He looks great and has definitely come forward for that racecourse gallop at Newmarket.

“We go in there with two live chances and we are very much looking forward to it. It will be an exciting weekend.”

Appleby also runs G3 Fred Darling S. winner Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in Sunday's QIPCO 1000 Guineas.

He continued, “[Wild Beauty] is a Grade I stakes winner in Canada. In the trial over seven [furlongs] in the Fred Darling she put up a brave performance and did it the right way round. We are confident going back up to the mile will see some further improvement from the trial.”

The opening day of the Guineas meeting, which has reverted to a three-day format this year, sees the return to Britain of the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf winner Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The 4-year-old gelding was last seen finishing runner-up in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March and on Friday he contests the G2 Betfair Exchange Jockey Club S.

“Hopefully that will springboard him on to a trip to America for the Man O' War Stakes,” said Appleby.

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Only eight races on the Kentucky Derby trail give as many as 100 points to the winner–good for a guaranteed spot in the Derby starting gate–but trainer Kenny McPeek suggested before the race that Tiz the Bomb will likely bypass the Derby and target the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket Apr. 30 and/or the G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom June 4. He wasn't as firm on that stance immediately after the race.

“We're not going to make a decision quickly,” said McPeek, who said the ownership team wasn't going to rule out the Kentucky Derby. “We'll have to figure out some details. I do think the further he goes, the better. Just a real special colt. We've got some options and they're really great options. Right now, we'll enjoy this and go from there.”

He added regarding the Jeff Ruby Steaks trip: “Brian had him in a really good spot and it looked like he was going to have to carry some outside ground to get there, but he's a good-enough horse to handle it. I'm glad he had him out of trouble. This colt traveled the furthest distance and got it done anyway… We shouldn't rule out Kentucky right now. I think he might be able to handle that.”

The Turfway feature, now in its 51st running, has been contested under seven different names/sponsorships throughout the years and has produced two Kentucky Derby winners in Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}, 2011) and Lil E. Tee (At the Threshold, 1992).

The Jeff Ruby Steaks was Tiz the Bomb's second win in as many starts on Turfway's synthetic surface, as he was coming off a victory in the John Battaglia Memorial S. Mar. 5 after a sophomore dirt experiment that led to an off-the-board finish behind White Abarrio (Race Day) and Simplification (Not This Time) in the GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Feb. 5. Those two were one-three in Saturday's GI Florida Derby. Last year, Tiz the Bomb was Keeneland's GII Bourbon S. winner and Del Mar's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up, in addition to victor of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S.

Pedigree Notes:

McPeek is known for his prowess in picking out horses at the sales that may be overlooked by others and going on to success with them. While no one would have called Tiz the Bomb a bargain at $330,000, as he was Hit It a Bomb's most expensive yearling by far and one of only two to bring six figures, it had to take nerves of steel to buy a yearling by an unproven sire for so far over that stallion's average and median. McPeek has been rewarded with Hit It a Bomb's most successful runner to date. The War Front stallion, who stands at Spendthrift and was winner of the 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, has two graded winners and three black-type winners from two small crops to race.

In contrast, broodmare sire Tiznow, who is pensioned at WinStar, is no stranger to the stakes scene as he has 52 black-type winners out of his daughters, including GI Belmont S./GI Travers S./GI Florida Derby/GI Champagne S. winner Tiz the Law (Constitution), who was also second in the 2020 GI Kentucky Derby.

Tiz the Bomb was bred by Spendthrift after the farm had purchased Tiz the Key for $330,000–the same price her son would eventually bring–as a 2012 Keeneland September yearling. She's been bred exclusively to Spendthrift stallions, with 2-year-old filly Bel Rosso (Free Drop Billy), who sold for $180,000 at FTKOCT to Rocket Ship Racing, and a yearling colt by Mor Spirit in the pipeline. She delivered a Gormley filly Feb. 25. Tiz the Key hails from one of the best families in the stud book, as her fourth dam is Gay Missile (Sir Gaylord). Among Gay Missile's several influential foals were Lassie Dear (Buckpasser), dam of Broodmare of the Year Weekend Surprise (Secretariat), who in turn produced A.P. Indy (Seattle Slew). Gay Missile was out of blue hen Missy Baba (My Babu {Fr}), whose notable foals included Broodmare of the Year Toll Booth (Buckpasser).

Saturday, Turfway Park
JEFF RUBY STEAKS S.-GIII, $600,000, Turfway, 4-2, 3yo, 1 1/8m (AWT), 1:48.60, ft.
1–TIZ THE BOMB, 123, c, 3, by Hit It a Bomb
  1st Dam: Tiz the Key, by Tiznow
  2nd Dam: Cabbage Key, by A.P. Indy
  3rd Dam: Mayville's Magic, by Gone West
($330,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-Magdalena Racing, Lessee;
B-Spendthrift Farm, LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Brian
Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $351,400. Lifetime Record: GISP,
8-5-1-0, $1,044,401. Werk Nick Rating: A+. 
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tawny Port, 123, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Livi Makenzie, by
Macho Uno. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($430,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Peachtree Stable; B-WinStar
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $114,000.
3–Rich Strike, 123, c, 3, Keen Ice–Gold Strike, by Smart Strike.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-RED TR-Racing, LLC; B-Calumet
Farm (KY); T-Eric R. Reed. $57,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 3HF, 3/4. Odds: 1.60, 3.70, 26.20.
Also Ran: Dowagiac Chief, Royal Spirit, Cabo Spirit, Stolen Base, Red Run, Constitutionlawyer, Swing Shift, Great Escape, Optigogo. Scratched: Blackadder. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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After making almost all in September's G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. before being clobbered close home by Tenebrism (Caravaggio), Flotus made one last public appearance in 2021 when being offered for sale at Tattersalls in December. One million guineas changed hands for the Listed winner and Group 1 runner-up but thankfully she returned to Gainsborough Stables and this year will carry some well known silks when she races in the colours of her new owner Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm.

“We were very delighted to welcome her back,” said Simon Crisford. “Ultimately she will be exported to Japan, that goes without saying, but she is only a 3-year-old so there's more water to flow under the bridge before she goes there and I very much hope she can build on what she achieved last season. I don't see any reason why she couldn't do that.”

The question that is impossible to answer at this early stage of the year is whether or not Flotus will see out the mile of the Guineas. Her dam Floriade (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) won over that distance in the French provinces before being bought by Cathy Grassick for €15,000. On the face of it her pedigree leans towards speed, and Flotus has certainly shown that she is not short of a gear change or two, but her half-brother, albeit by a greater stamina influence in Nathaniel (Ire), has won four races at two miles or just beyond. 

“She has had a good winter–all of them have wintered well actually–and physically she has done very nicely,” said Crisford. “There are races at Newmarket, Newbury, Chelmsford, Ascot. It's a good programme actually, to enable us to decide what her optimum trip is going to be this year. There are options over six furlongs or seven furlongs to start, and she is entered in the French, English and Irish Guineas.”

He continued, “Obviously we don't know if she is a filly who is going to get the mile. What we do know is that six furlongs suits her well. When she is back racing in the spring then that will tell us everything we need to know. She's got loads of toe, we saw that, especially at Newmarket, she was lightning quick throughout in that race and only just got collared at the end, and she showed a nice turn of foot going into the dip that day off a strong pace.

“I will be in consultation with her owner closer to the time to discuss plans and whether we go for a trial or stick to the six-furlong races. Those decisions will be made at the beginning of April.”

Along with Flotus, the stable is also represented among the Guineas entries by Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's Daneh (GB), a daughter of Dubawi (Ire) and the dual Group 1 winner Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), who won on debut last June and was then placed behind Oscula (Ire) and Mise En Scene (GB) respectively in Group 3 contests at Deauville and Goodwood. 

“Daneh is beautifully bred and is a very nice filly with a turn of foot,” noted her trainer. “She ran incredibly well at Goodwood and had a bit of a setback after that which prevented us from running her again but I am very much looking forward to seeing her when she gets back on the work tab.”

With Flotus and Daneh representing Japanese and Dubaian owners, the international element of the string is enhanced further by the third 1000 Guineas entrant, Fast Attack (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who is owned by Bahrain's Shaikh Nasser Al Khalifa and Fawzi Nass. The Ballylinch Stud-bred filly, a grand-daughter of the G2 Queen Mary S. winner Gilded (Ire) (Redback {GB}), completed her four-start juvenile campaign with two wins to her name, including the G3 Oh So Sharp S. over seven furlongs of the Rowley Mile.

Crisford added, “They were kept in light training throughout the winter and this winter has been much easier than last winter in terms of weather. We have managed to get them on grass a lot more this winter and I would say they are all reasonably forward in condition and where we want them to be for this time of the year. They're all getting ramped up now, ready to start working. I always think that as soon as the last horse crosses the line at Cheltenham then the phone starts ringing and suddenly there's this automatic transition to the Flat season. It's a very exciting time of the year.”

While there is currently the odd glimmer of spring evident in Newmarket, a portion of the Crisford team is currently enjoying the much warmer climate of the Middle East and is housed at Millennium Stables at Meydan. The dual aspect of the operation through the winter in Dubai and England works well, particularly since Simon Crisford started training in partnership with his son Ed in May 2020.

Even before the season gets properly underway in Britain, this coming weekend will be action-packed as the Crisford stable is represented on Saturday at Meydan by Finest Sound (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in the G1 Jebel Hatta, Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the G2 Dubai City of Gold, and Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G3 Burj Nahaar, while Noel O'Callaghan's homebred Anthem National (Ire) is entered for the Listed Spring Cup at Lingfield.

“It's great to have Ed as a co-trainer,” said Crisford senior. “He's really enjoying it and working very hard. He's out in Dubai at the moment supervising our Super Saturday runners. If one of us is there, the other one will be here [in Newmarket], and vice versa. We have a small stable out there in the winter; we enjoy doing that and it's good for our clients. But we also enjoy being in Newmarket at Gainsborough Stables and we've been supported very well by our owners.”

He added, “In this game you have to have a very positive outlook and always look forward.”

The imminent onset of spring will certainly provide plenty of opportunities for both father and son to do just that. 

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It meant the QIPCO 2000 Guineas will head back to Ireland, but not to a stable with a trainer named “O'Brien” as many had predicted in the build up. Instead, 79-year-old trainer, owner (via his wife), and breeder Jim Bolger's colt took the prize in a compelling finish which saw Master Of The Seas, Poetic Flare and Luky Vega drawing clear to fight out the closing stages.

It was Master Of The Seas who looked the most likely winner in the final half furlong, however Poetic Flare dug in and got his head down right when it mattered. The photo finish went the way of a delighted Kevin Manning, also Bolger's son-in-law.

For Jim Bolger it means that he picks up the coveted prize for a second time in his training career, having previously won the race in 2013 with Dawn Approach.

“He's the most complete racehorse I've ever had,” Bolger told racingpost.com. “He's the complete package — you couldn't find a fault with him. If he was sent to a new trainer in the morning he'd just pick it up from there.”

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The winner of the G3 Emirates Autumn S. and runner-up to Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) in the G1 Vertem Futurity, One Ruler was ridden by former champion jockey Kieren Fallon. He is generally around 10/1 for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas on May 1 and also holds entries for the Cazoo Derby and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

One Ruler's trainer Charlie Appleby said after the workout, in which he breezed clear of the 106-rated Well Of Wisdom with two furlongs left to run, “I was very pleased with that. He has been to Chelmsford and it was very kind of Newmarket to let us do this. He wasn't going to go for a trial as he has got enough experience already on his CV and he has justified himself to turn up straight to a Guineas.”

 He continued, “We have now got a nice piece into him and that puts us where we need to be. He hasn't missed a beat all winter and we will now just go through his normal routine until the Guineas. Kieren explained that he handles that dip flawlessly and he already has the experience of being a course and distance winner, so he ticks a lot of boxes.”

One Ruler is out of the Shamardal mare Fintry (Ire), who beat dual Classic heroine Avenir Certain (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) to win the G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil over a mile the season after winning the G2 Prix de Sandringham. Appleby said that he feels that her son, too, may be suited to shorter distances than the Derby. 

 He added, “On the back of winning the Autumn Stakes people start talking about the Derby but the first thing we are looking at is the Guineas and that's the target. 

 “I don't think he is a stayer as he has got stronger over the winter. I'm very pleased with the way he has done physically. He was a little bit slow coming to hand but I think we have had a hard winter. I couldn't be happier with what I've seen over the last six weeks or so. He has stepped up his work and he has answered every question that we have put to him so far.”

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