Deepone cut to 20-1 for 2,000 Guineas after brave front-running Beresford Stakes win

Deepone made the most of his experience and sharpened his profile as a 2,000 Guineas contender with victory in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes.

The son of Study Of Man won his first two starts before being touched off in a Tipperary Listed race, but he was a shade disappointing when fourth to Diego Velazquez in the Group 2 Champion Juvenile at Leopardstown two weeks ago.

On both occasions, he had raced keenly when dropped in behind, but this time the decision was taken to let him bowl along in front and rider Billy Lee got his fractions spot on.

The Paddy Twomey-trained colt, who was the only runner in the race to have run in stakes company previously, hardly saw another rival in scoring by a length and three-quarters and was cut to 20-1 from 33-1 for next year's 2,000 Guineas by Paddy Power.

Deepone holds an entry in next year's Irish 2,000 Guineas but no more this year, and Twomey indicated that the colt will not run again this season. 

He said: “He's a nice horse and a horse whose been progressive all year. Things just didn't go right for him last time at Leopardstown, but he came out of the race very well.

"I said to Billy that we would give him one more run this year. He kind of looked at me, but I thought the track and the trip and everything would suit him. We said that we would let him bowl along and enjoy himself and he seemed to do just that.

Connections of Deepone pose for photos after his Beresford Stakes victory Credit: Patrick McCann

“He's a strong traveller and he finds plenty. I think he'll be a mile-and-a-quarter to a mile-and-a-half horse next year. I hope for his owner Vimal Khosla that he has a Derby horse for next year and that will be it for this year. We had dropped him in on turning tracks the last twice, but I said to Billy, no nonsense today. Let's go and see if he's good enough and he put them to the sword. I think he's a good horse.”

Aidan O'Brien was going for his 22nd win in this race; indeed, before last year he had not met defeat since the victory of Casamento in 2010. Ballydoyle supplied three of the six-runner field here and provided the next three home behind the winner. 

Maiden winner Chief Little Rock, ridden by Gavin Ryan, could not make an impression on the winner but just edged second spot from Colin Keane on recent Galway maiden winner Grosvenor Square. The Frankie Dettori-ridden 11-4 favourite Navy Seal could only manage a one-paced fourth, a further length and a quarter away.

All three hold entries in the Royal Lodge Stakes and in the Futurity at Doncaster, while Navy Seal also holds an entry in the Dewhurst. O'Brien said: “They ran lovely races and they're all big middle-distance horses for next year.

"Billy gave the winner a very good ride. Paddy had his horse in very good order and he did it very well. We'll see how our horses come out of the race before we decide what to do next, but they've run well.”

Qipco 2,000 Guineas (May 4, Newmarket)

Paddy Power: 5-2 City Of Troy, 7-2 Henry Longfellow, 9 River Tiber, 10 Diego Velazquez, 16 Vandeek, Task Force, 20 Deepone, Iberian, Arabian Crown, 25 bar

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