'We're very happy with everything he's shown us' - Aidan O'Brien hopeful City Of Troy can live up to hype in 2,000 Guineas

Not since Frankel has there been a 2,000 Guineas contender who has attracted the same degree of fervour as City Of Troy.

Last year's European champion juvenile carries huge expectations into his Classic campaign after his unbeaten first season was illuminated by breathtaking displays in the Superlative and Dewhurst.

After proving his liking for the Rowley Mile in the Dewhurst, City Of Troy was labelled by part-owner Michael Tabor as "our Frankel" and the official handicapper agreed by awarding him a mark of 125, just 1lb shy of Frankel in 2010.

An audacious Triple Crown bid has already been mooted for a horse Aidan O'Brien hailed last year as the best two-year-old he has ever trained.

O'Brien is the most successful trainer in 2,000 Guineas history, although his last win came in 2019 with Magna Grecia, and it looks significant City Of Troy is the only Ballydoyle runner in a race in which the stable has so often been well represented.

"Everything is good," he said. "We've done as much as we can with him ahead of his first run, so hopefully he runs well. We're very happy with him and from what we've seen with sons of Justify with us, as they go further and stretch out longer they'll get better.

"We're very happy with everything he's shown us this year. The lads could be thinking about the Derby after this, but we'll see what happens in the 2,000 Guineas and make a plan after that."

RP Recommends: how to bet on the 2,000 Guineas

By Tom Park, audience editor

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RP Recommends: bet365

Rosallion leads Hannon attack

In an average year, Rosallion would likely have been going into the season's first Classic as a short-priced favourite after rounding off an impressive two-year-old campaign with Group 1 success in France.

The Richard Hannon-trained colt was worth more than the winning margin of a length in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp when he fully justified the high esteem in which he has always been held.

The son of Blue Point's only flop came on soft ground at Doncaster in the Champagne Stakes and although the wet spring caused Hannon to break from the stable's normal approach and go straight to the Guineas without a prep run, the trainer is full of hope of winning the race for a second time.

"He's in great form, I'm very happy with him and he's got a live chance," said Hannon. "He's already a Group 1 winner and he's a very good horse. All of the best two-year-old form revolves around him. 

"We've been happy with him all winter and I don't see the trip as a problem as he's taken seven furlongs around Longchamp very well and ran right through the line. He loves fast ground, so after a good drying start to the week I’m hoping Newmarket continues to miss the rain."

Haatem: Craven winner runs along with stablemate Rosallion for Richard HannonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Hannon, whose father Richard won the 2,000 Guineas three times, has a capable second string in decisive Craven Stakes winner Haatem. 

"I can't believe he's that big a price, I thought he'd be a lot shorter than that," said Hannon. "He won the Craven convincingly, which is never a bad race, and he'll have improved for it as it was his first run for a while. 

"He goes there solid as a rock. He's a fine big horse with loads of ability and he'll get the trip no problem – he's found improvement by going a mile."

Notable Speech out to prove a Guineas outlier

The weight of history might be against Notable Speech as he makes his turf debut in the 2,000 Guineas, but he has emerged as Godolphin's prime contender following three wins at Kempton since the turn of the year.

The Charlie Appleby-trained son of Dubawi has to buck some notable trends as 2,000 Guineas winners who were unraced at two are rare – the last being Pasch in 1938 – while no horse has won having raced exclusively on the all-weather before Newmarket.

Notable Speech: history against the Godolphin runnerCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"He's three from three on the all-weather and you are always going to sit on the fence slightly as to whether they can transfer that style of racing to the turf, but we're confident he can," Appleby said. 

"We know from experience that Dubawi's offspring can be pretty versatile. His homework has been good and he's had a great preparation, and I'll be disappointed if he doesn’t run a big race."

What they say

Owen Burrows, trainer of Alyanaabi
He's taken a step forward since his racecourse gallop there and has not missed a beat in his preparation. He's run twice at the course and done well both times. It's just the opposition to be worried about now.

Clive Cox, trainer of Ghostwriter
I'm very pleased with him, he's in great nick. We've had a really pleasing run up to the race and he's physically strengthened more from two to three. I'm hopeful he'll give a good account of himself. I'm thrilled he's got track experience and his record as a two-year-old was 100 per cent and it's very exciting to be going in with a horse of his calibre.

Charlie Hills, trainer of Iberian
I’ve been delighted with him over the winter and he looks fantastic; in terms of his coat you’d think it was the middle of July. We gave him a racecourse gallop at Newmarket recently and he went well.

Adam Ryan, assistant to Kevin Ryan, trainer of Inisherin
We’ve always liked him. He has an exceptional pedigree and was very impressive at Newcastle. It’s a huge step up, but you only get one chance at a Guineas and he’s in great order.

Night Raider (nearest): pleased in Newmarket gallop last monthCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Karl Burke, trainer of Night Raider
He looks in great shape. It's a huge step up from two all-weather maidens, no matter how impressive he was. Not only is it on the grass, but it's potentially the best Guineas we've seen for a little while. I think he's a Group 1 horse in the making and it's just a question of whether he's quite there yet.

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Task Force
He's been a bit under the radar, but he galloped well at Newbury last week and he’s come out of it in good shape. He’s bred for a mile but we went for the Middle Park rather than the Dewhurst as we wanted him to learn to settle, and I think it worked. With that experience of the Rowley Mile under his belt we didn’t feel he needed another race before the Guineas. It’s a great pedigree and we’ve just got to find out if he’s up to it, but I think he’ll run well.

Ed Walker, trainer of Ten Bob Tony
We had other options for him after his win at the Craven meeting, but there's only one opportunity like this to run in a Classic. He deserves to take his chance and we think he'll be better over a mile. He goes very well at the track, any cut in the ground will be welcome and although he's got to improve significantly, that's not out of the question.

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