On the Classic trail: a look at the star names behind the 2,000 Guineas field

The stage is set for the next star and likely leader of his generation in Saturday's Qipco 2,000 Guineas. We take a look at the pedigrees of the 15-strong line-up for the first Classic race of the 2022 Flat season.

Oasis Dream - Needleleaf (Observatory)
Godolphin

A graduate from the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, the son of Oasis Dream has stood as favourite since his unbeaten two-year-old career and, despite his largely speed-orientated pedigree, demonstrated his staying power when an easy winner of the Craven Stakes this spring.

By a sire who has produced top-class middle-distance performers such as Midday and Classic or Group 1-winning milers such as Power and Aqlaam, the imposing colt hails from a fine Juddmonte family. He is the second foal out of the unraced Observatory mare Needleleaf, a sister to Haydock Sprint Cup heroine African Rose (the dam of Group-winning juvenile Fair Eva) and Group 3 scorer Helleborine, who in turn has produced Coventry Stakes victor Calyx.

Needleleaf in turn is out of a Group-placed half-sister to Dewhurst hero Distant Music and sold to MAB Agency from Juddmonte at the 2015 Tattersalls December Mare Sale for 60,000gns.

Coroebus
Dubawi - First Victory (Teofilo)
Godolphin

Coroebus would be a third winner of the colts' Classic for Darley's supersire, following in the footsteps of Night Of Thunder and Makfi in recent years.

Coroebus: from the family of Thunder SnowCredit: Edward Whitaker

A Godolphin homebred, last season's easy Autumn Stakes winner is the second foal out of the Teofilo mare First Victory, herself the winner of two contests as a juvenile, including the Oh So Sharp Stakes for Saeed bin Suroor in 2015.

First Victory hails from a prolific family, being out of top-class producer Eastern Joy and therefore a half-sister to dual Dubai World Cup hero Thunder Snow as well as Listed scorer and Sun Chariot Stakes runner-up Always Smile; May Hill Stakes winner and 1,000 Guineas/Fillies' Mile third Ihtimal; this season's Mahab Al Shimaal winner Eastern World and Meydan 1,000 Guineas heroine Winter Lightning.

Luxembourg
Camelot - Attire (Danehill Dancer)
Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith

Another unbeaten juvenile, the son of Camelot looks to follow in his sire's footsteps with victory in this Classic before a tilt at the Derby for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners.

The Ben Sangster-bred colt was picked up by MV Magnier for 150,000gns from Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale - and that price could look a bargain over the coming weeks with the prospect of Classic glory.

Luxembourg is the fifth foal out of the placed Danehill Dancer mare Attire - a full-sister to the high-class Glorious Stakes and Wolferton Handicap scorer Forgotten Voice among three black type performers - meaning her son is a sibling to Mooresbridge Stakes victor Leo De Fury and 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes third Sense Of Style.

Point Lonsdale
Australia - Sweepstake (Acclamation)
D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, Westerberg

Epona Bloodstock's son of Australia was a high-class juvenile with four victories including the Futurity and Chesham Stakes before a second to Native Trail in the National Stakes. He would become the second Classic winner for his sire following Galileo Chrome's St Leger success in 2020.

A 575,000gns purchase by Magnier from Book 1, Point Lonsdale is out of the Acclamation mare Sweepstake and therefore a brother to Broome, whose seven successes for O'Brien and Coolmore include the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Mooresbridge Stakes, as well as a handful of placings at the highest level.

Luxembourg and Point Lonsdale line up for Aidan O'Brien and CoolmoreCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Sweepstake was a Listed winner over five furlongs for Richard Hannon Snr and is in turn out of a sister to Prix de la Nonette scorer Dust Dancer and half-sister to Fred Darling Stakes winner Bulaxie.

Perfect Power
Ardad - Sagely (Frozen Power)
Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum

The standout performer for last year's first-season sire revelation Ardad, Perfect Power blitzed his way to wins in the Middle Park Stakes, Prix Morny and Norfolk Stakes before a step up to seven furlongs this term saw him land the Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

A graduate of Tally-Ho Stud's red-hot production line, Perfect Power may be by a Flying Childers and Windsor Castle Stakes scorer but there are clues in his distaff line that may allow him to see out the mile trip here.

He is out of the mile and a quarter-winning Frozen Power mare Sagely, who is in turn a half-sister to a mile and a quarter Listed performer in Sagaciously. Further back in the page is Arc winner Sagamix.

Olden Times - Moon Mountain (Frankel)
Prince A A Faisal

A homebred of Prince Faisal's Nawara Stud, Eydon is by the prince's private stallion Olden Times, a top-class miler whose victories included the Prix Jean Prat over the then trip of 1m1f, the Earl of Sefton Stakes and Feilden Stakes, the last named a race being taken in some style this season by his son.

Eydon: a first Classic winner for Frankel as a broodmare sire?Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Eydon is one of three stakes winners for Frankel as a broodmare sire so far, being the first foal out of the once-raced Moon Mountain, a half-sister to three stakes winners in Tell, Invincible Dragon and Festivale.

Dubawi Legend
Dubawi - Lovely Pass (Raven's Pass)
Dr Ali Ridha

Another son of Dubawi in the line-up, last year's Dewhurst Stakes runner-up is the fourth foal out of the UAE 1,000 Guineas-winning Raven's Pass mare Lovely Pass, already the dam of a mile and a half stakes winner in Golden Pass (by Golden Horn) who was also second in the Park Hill Stakes over an extended 1m6f last autumn.

The Rabbah Bloodstock colt's family also extends to mile Listed scorer Spirit Raiser - an Invincible Spirit half-sister to Lovely Pass - and Macadamia, a daughter of Classic Cliche who struck in the Falmouth Stakes during her career for James Fanshawe.

Checkandchallenge
Fast Company - Likeable (Dalakhani)
A Hetherton

A 35,000gns purchase purchase by Richard Knight from Meon Valley Stud from Book 2, the son of the late Fast Company is unbeaten in two starts including the Listed Burradon Stakes at Newcastle this month.

Checkandchallenge: two challengers for Fast CompanyCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Checkandchallenge is a half-brother to a few winners including dual six-furlong scorer Phijee and is out of the unraced Dalakhani mare Likeable, a half-sister to Jebel Hatta and Goodwood Group 3 scorer Alkaadhem and the prolific handicapper Raising Sands.

Likeable was out of the 1m1f Listed-winning Sadler's Wells mare Balalaika, a sister to Prince of Wales's Stakes winner and Eclipse Stakes second Stagecraft and a half-sister to Strensall Stakes winner Mullins Bay.

Light Infantry
Fast Company - Lights On Me (Kyllachy)
Never Say Die Partnership

Another son of Fast Company and one who was picked up by George Mullins for €25,000 from the Arqana October Yearling Sale, Light Infantry is another graduate of the breeze-up sector and made £82,000 to Blandford Bloodstock from Mocklershill at Goffs UK last year.

He is the third foal out of the Kyllachy mare Lights On Me, a winner over a mile in Germany, Italy and Austria and a half-sister to Listed Pomfret Stakes winner Prime Champion and the stakes-placed Dragonera.

Wootton Bassett - Shaloushka (Dalakhani)
Highclere Thoroughbred Racing

A colt from a typically fine Aga Khan family being out of a mile and a quarter winner in Shaloushka, a Dalakhani close relation to Irish Derby third Shalapour and a half-sibling to Shibina, the dam of the Group 3-placed pair of Shikarpour and Shebella. Shaloushka is in turn out of Shalama, a close relation to Derby and Irish Derby hero Shahrastani.

Royal Patronage: from a high-class Aga Khan familyCredit: Getty Images

This Emma Capon Bloodstock-bred son of Wootton Bassett sold to John and Jake Warren for 62,000gns from Book 1 and bids to give his sire a first British Classic scorer, having already sired Prix du Jockey Club victor Almanzor.

Teofilo - Novel Approach (New Approach)
Mrs J S Bolger

Jim Bolger proved the master of Newmarket last term when landing this race with Poetic Flare, although his representative this year looks to face a stiffer task at this stage.

By Teofilo and out of a New Approach mare - a typical Bolger pedigree given he bred and trained the sire, bred and trained the dam as well as the damsire - Boundless Ocean is a full-brother to two winners over hurdles while his dam is closely related to the Listed-placed two-year-old winner Cleofila and from the family of Angara.

Lusail
Mehmas - Diaminda (Diamond Green)
Al Shaqab Racing

A product of Tally-Ho through and through, being a son of the operation's record-breaking sire Mehmas and being bred by the stud, Lusail sold to Charlie Gordon-Watson and Al Shaqab Racing for 160,000gns from Book 2, before four successes at two last year included the Gimcrack and July Stakes.

Lusail: plenty of speed in his pedigree but will he stay?Credit: Mark Cranham

Lusail hails from a speedy family which may raise concerns over his ability to see out a mile, being out of a six-furlong two-year-old winner in Diaminda, a half-sister to Golden Jubilee Stakes hero Fayr Jag and out of a six-furlong two-year-old winner in Lomond mare Lominda.

Dark Angel - Angel Vision (Oasis Dream)
Berkshire Parts & Panels Ltd No1 Fanclub

Another who looks to have a speedy pedigree on the surface, it is definitely worth digging a bit deeper when it comes to last year's Coventry Stakes winner's page.

Bred by Cheveley Park Stud, Berkshire Shadow is out of the winning Oasis Dream mare Angel Vision, a sister to a mile and a quarter scorer in Canonbury among five winners and in turn out of the great racemare Islington, who struck in two Yorkshire Oaks and the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

A 40,000gns purchase by trainer Andrew Balding from Book 1, it is perhaps also worth noting that Dark Angel has produced Group or Grade 1-winning milers such as Persuasive and Raging Bull among his top-level victors.

Tacarib Bay
New Bay - Bassmah (Harbour Watch)
J R Shannon

A son of 2014 2,000 Guineas hero Night Of Thunder, Tacarib Bay lines up for his owner-breeder and is the first foal out of the winning Harbour Watch mare Bassmah.

Bassmah is out of a Listed-placed five furlong to seven furlong winner in Dansili mare Secret Night, a half-sister to Ballymacoll Stud Stakes scorer Rosa Grace.

Galileo Gold - Prom Dress (Mount Nelson)
O Humphrey A Favell R Humphrey J S Moore

From the first crop of another 2,000 Guineas winner in Galileo Gold, The Wizard Of Eye appears to have it all to do to emulate his sire with victory here, although to his credit this modest but shrewd purchase was Group-placed in France last August and ran perfectly respectably behind Perfect Power in the Greenham.

The Wizard Of Eye is the fourth foal out of the Mount Nelson mare Prom Dress and is a half-brother to Italian juvenile winner Bridge Dress Me, while the pair's dam is a half-sister to Sandown National Stakes third Dress To Impress and a close relation to seven furlong scorer Slaney Rock.

Selection Native Trail
Each-way selection Eydon

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