2000 Guineas Stakes | |
![]() Saxon Warrior (far right) approaches the finish | |
Location | Newmarket Racecourse |
---|---|
Date | 5 May 2018 |
Winning horse | Saxon Warrior |
Starting price | 3/1 |
Jockey | Donnacha O'Brien |
Trainer | Aidan O'Brien |
Owner | Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor |
Conditions | Good |
The 2018 2000 Guineas Stakes was the 210th running of the 2000 Guineas Stakes horse race. It was run over one mile on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket Racecourse on 5 May 2018, a hot and sunny day. The winner was the Japanese bred Saxon Warrior, trained by Aidan O'Brien and ridden by his son Donnacha O'Brien. Tip Two Win was in second place a length and a half behind and the favourite, Masar, was in third place. [1]
Dist * | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | SP | |
1 | Saxon Warrior | Donnacha O'Brien | Aidan O'Brien | 3/1 | |
2 | 1½ | Tip Two Win | David Probert | Roger Teal | 50/1 |
3 | head | Masar | William Buick | Charlie Appleby | 5/2 fav |
4 | ½ | Elarqam | Jim Crowley | Mark Johnston | 5/1 |
5 | neck | Roaring Lion | Oisin Murphy | John Gosden | 14/1 |
6 | 1¼ | Gustav Klimt | Seamie Heffernan | Aidan O'Brien | 4/1 |
7 | ½ | James Garfield | Frankie Dettori | George Scott | 25/1 |
8 | 1¼ | Raid | Martin Harley | David Simcock | 33/1 |
9 | ½ | Murillo | Wayne Lordan | Aidan O'Brien | 40/1 |
10 | 3½ | Expert Eye | Andrea Atzeni | Sir Michael Stoute | 12/1 |
11 | 3¼ | Cardsharp | James Doyle | Mark Johnston | 80/1 |
12 | ½ | Headway | Jamie Spencer | William Haggas | 20/1 |
13 | 4 | Rajasinghe | Adam Kirby | Richard Spencer | 15/1 |
14 | 12 | Nebo | Silvestre De Sousa | Charles Hills | 100/1 |
* The distances between the horses are shown in lengths. All the runners were three-year-old colts and carried 9 stone. [2]
After the race winning jockey Donnacha O'Brien said of Saxon Warrior: "He's a very good horse, he's a proper horse." [1]
The Aidan O'Brien trained colt Gustav Klimt became an early ante-post favourite for the race after winning the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket in July 2017, [3] but after an impressive win in the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, Sir Michael Stoute's Expert Eye then took over as the market leader. [4] Stoute stated it was "too early to tell if he's a Guineas horse" but jockey Andrea Atzeni was more positive, saying, "I don’t think I’ve ever sat on a two-year-old as good as this".
The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April or early May.
George Washington was a thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Ireland by champion sire Danehill out of Bordighera, also the dam of the high-class colt Grandera. Bred by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, he was trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O'Brien and owned by Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith. George Washington suffered a dislocated ankle fracture during the Breeders' Cup Classic at Monmouth Park on 27 October 2007, and was euthanized. The horse was nicknamed 'Gorgeous George' by his followers.
The Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres) at Leopardstown in March or April.
Camelot is a British-bred, Irish-trained thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the leading European two-year-olds of 2011 and won the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. He was made the winter favourite for the 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby. On his three-year-old debut, Camelot won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and followed up by winning the Derby at Epsom and the Irish Derby at the Curragh. His bid for the Triple Crown failed when he finished runner-up to Encke in the St Leger.
Kingman is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse owned by Khalid Abdullah and trained by John Gosden. As a three-year-old he won the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas, St. James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Prix Jacques le Marois.
Australia is an Irish-bred, Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2014 Epsom Derby. As a two-year-old in 2013, he won two of his three races, creating a very favourable impression when winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Trial Stakes, and was highly regarded by his trainer Aidan O'Brien. In May 2014 he finished third behind Night of Thunder and Kingman in the 2000 Guineas before winning the Epsom Derby on 7 June. He subsequently won the Irish Derby and International Stakes before being defeated by The Grey Gatsby in the Irish Champion Stakes. His racing career was ended by injury in October 2014. He is standing at Coolmore stud.
The 2016 Epsom Derby was the 237th annual running of the Derby horse race and took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 4 June 2016. The race was won by the Aga Khan's Harzand, ridden by Pat Smullen and trained in Ireland by Dermot Weld. Harzand's victory was the first in the race for his jockey and trainer, and the fifth for his owner, who had prior wins with Shergar, Shahrastani, Kahyasi and Sinndar.
The 2017 Epsom Derby was the 238th annual running of the Derby horse race and took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 3 June 2017. It was televised on ITV for the first time since 1988. The race was worth £1.5million, an increase on the 2016 prize, and was sponsored by Investec. The race saw the biggest Derby upset for 43 years as Wings of Eagles won at odds of 40/1. His win was the seventh in the race for his owners and the sixth for his trainer Aidan O'Brien. By contrast, it was a first ride in the race for the winning jockey Padraig Beggy, a work-rider at O'Brien's Ballydoyle stable.
Dilshaan is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a brief racing career he won two of his four races between September 2000 and June 2001. After finishing second in a minor race on his racecourse debut he was moved up in class to record an upset victory in the Group One Racing Post Trophy in October. In the following spring he returned from absence of more than six months to establish himself as a major contender for The Derby with a win in the Dante Stakes. He ran poorly in the Derby and his racing career was subsequently ended by injury. He has been a success as a breeding stallion siring various event horses who are now coming through with successful results.
The 2018 Epsom Derby was the 239th annual running of the Derby horse race and took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 2 June 2018. The winner was Masar, ridden by William Buick, at odds of 16/1. The race was sponsored by Investec and the first prize was £920,000.
Cliffs of Moher, called The Cliffsofmoher when racing in Australia, was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. As a three-year-old he won the Dee Stakes and finished second in the 2017 Epsom Derby. Cliffs of Moher was euthanised after breaking his shoulder in the running of the 2018 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on 6 November 2018.
Donnacha O'Brien is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey who competed in Flat racing.
U S Navy Flag is an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2017 he became the first horse in 35 years to win both the Middle Park Stakes and the Dewhurst Stakes. As two-year-old he was beaten in his first four racecourse appearances, including the Coventry Stakes before winning a maiden race in July. He then finished second in the July Stakes and fourth in the Phoenix Stakes before recording his first significant win in the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes. He won the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse on 30 September and returned to the same track two weeks later to follow up in the Dewhurst Stakes. As a three-year-old in 2018 he ran in several major mile races without success before dropping back to sprint distances to win the July Cup.
Saxon Warrior is a Japanese-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2017 he was one of the best colts of his generation in Europe, winning all three of his races including the Beresford Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy. On his three-year-old debut the colt won the 2000 Guineas before finishing fourth when odds-on favourite for the 2018 Epsom Derby. He went on to be placed in the Irish Derby, Eclipse Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes.
Poet's Word is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and breeding stallion. He showed useful but unremarkable form in his first two seasons before developing into a high-class performer at the age of four when he won the Glorious Stakes as well as finishing second in both the Irish Champion Stakes and the Champion Stakes. He continued his progress as a five-year-old in 2018, winning the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, Prince of Wales's Stakes and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Roaring Lion was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He was the top-rated British-trained two-year-old of 2017, when he won three races including the Royal Lodge Stakes and suffered his only defeat when narrowly beaten by Saxon Warrior in the Racing Post Trophy. In the following year he won the Dante Stakes, the Eclipse Stakes, International Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes as well as running third in the Craven Stakes, fifth in the 2000 Guineas and third in the Epsom Derby. He was euthanised following horse colic in 2019 at the age of four.
Kew Gardens is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed considerable promise as a juvenile in 2017 when he won two of his five races including the Zetland Stakes. In the following year he developed into a top class stayer, taking the Queen's Vase, Grand Prix de Paris and St Leger. As a four-year-old he added another major win as he took the British Champions Long Distance Cup as well as finishing second in the Coronation Cup and the Irish St. Leger.
Ten Sovereigns is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the best two-year-olds in Europe in 2018 when he was unbeaten in three races including the Round Tower Stakes and the Middle Park Stakes. He was beaten when favourite for the 2000 Guineas on his reappearance in 2019 but subsequently returned to sprint distances and won the July Cup.
Magna Grecia is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed top class form as a two-year-old in 2018 when he won two of his three races including the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy. On his three-year-old debut he won the 2000 Guineas Stakes.
Thunder Moon is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2020 he made a successful debut in a maiden race and then won the Group 1 National Stakes.