With the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National now in the rearview mirror, attention turns to horse racing’s flat season. The first major event of the upcoming campaign that fans can look forward to is the 2000 & 1000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, May 6 and Sunday, May 7.
It is the former we’re going to focus on in this article. Taking place over a mile, the 2000 Guineas is a Group 1 contest open to fillies and colts and has seen some of the sport’s biggest names reign supreme in the fixture’s 214-year history.
2023’s renewal won’t be any exception, with plenty of up-and-coming, notable and in-form entries expected to line up come race day – and with that in mind – read on as we take a look at which thoroughbreds are the favourites in the horse racing betting odds at the time of writing.
Auguste Rodin
Entering as the 11/4 favourite, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Auguste Rodin has been exceptional since making his debut in June of last year. Although the Irish-bred horse would finish second by two-and-a-half lengths from Crypto Force – he has been unblemished since – reigning supreme in three outings on the trot at Naas, Leopardstown and Doncaster respectively.
The three-year-old was particularly impressive in his most recent showing, running on strongly to finish more than three lengths over the top of a talented field that included the likes of the John and Thady Gosden-trained Epictetus. If Auguste Rodin can perform similarly at Newmarket – he will prove extremely hard to beat.
Little Big Bear
Another O’Brien-trained horse, three-year-old Little Big Bear brings similar form that of his stablemate Auguste Rodin. After finishing runner-up on debut at the Curragh, the colt has bounced back to win his last four by a combined margin of just shy of 15 lengths. However, it will be interesting to see how he returns after somewhat of a considerable stint away from the track – with Little Big Bear’s most recent outing taking place last August.
For those who believe Little Big Bear can get the job done on Coronation weekend, he is paying 5/1 to do so – which is good for second favourite.
Chaldean
Currently sitting as the third favourite at 6/1, Andrew Balding’s Chaldean has won four consecutive races dating back to July of last year. He has impressed every time he has stepped up in competition thus far – reigning victorious in his maiden graded race in the Acomb Stakes at York (Group 3). The British horse followed up that win with a solid display in the Group 2 Coral Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, defeating the next best-placed Indestructable by a convincing three-and-a-half lengths.
With back-to-back triumphs at a graded level, Balding once again stepped him up in competition at Newmarket in October for the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes. The three-year-old passed with flying colours, running on well over the final furlong and doing enough to finish first past the post by a head from Paul and Oliver Cole’s Royal Scotsman.
