2000 Guineas Day Tips and Betting Preview Part Two

3:45 Pearl Bloodstock Palace House Stakes (Group 3)

There's a few in this one who are just kicking off their flat seasons and we'll be opting for one of them as Astrophysical Jet (Dubawi) looks the play in the race kicking off just after the 2000 Guineas. He ended the season well last year with a pair of Group 3 scores at Newbury and the Curragh. I also think his third place to the very tidy Borderlescott (Compton Place) in a Group 2 at Glorious Goodwood last year is more credible than it looks.

His OR has been improving steadily and he looks to be in the mix for this contest though it must be admitted he didn't hit off the lay-off last year but did win his first lifetime start – that counts for something. Graham Gibbons retains the mount and the pair have a solid relationship.

Prohibit (Oasis Dream) is set for his first run after a four-race stint in Dubai. He lost out to Astrophyiscal Jet last year and will be looking for revenge here. It will be interesting to see how his contrasting campaign sets him up for this contest.

4:20 Qatar Bloodstock Handicap

This is a Class 2 sprint going 6f and looks to be one of the more wide-open races on the day. Ed McMahon's Indian Ballad (Oratorio) looks properly-weighted for this one and probably needed his last race where he finished fourth from a field of nine carrying more weight than he's got here. He will be delivering a decent price based on the amount of contenders but he looked pretty good last year on the nursery circuit once he found his footing. He'll have needed the race and could move on here. Ahtoug (Byron) was a beaten favourite last time out for Godolphin and will also be set to improve one race after a lengthy freshening. He'll be carrying less weight than last time and looks to have found a sweet spot here. If he's priced well, I think this is definitely a must-bet place-only option.

4:55 Makfi Newmarket Stakes (Listed)

AP O'Brien saddles High Ruler (Mr Greeley) who takes a sharp drop in class for this one having run at the highest level for most of last season after capturing his maiden at Roscommon in July. He is Group 3-placed and wasn't too far off in both of his efforts at the Curragh in Group 1 and 2 company. There is a distinct chance that he needs the race, but he looks to be a step above many on display in this one.

Cai Shen (Iffraaj) deserves some respect and emerges off a win on the conditions circuit. A number of talented maiden breakers step up in this one so you could expect an obscure winner at a very large price here.

5:25 – Qipco Supports Racing Welfare Handicap

The nightcap on Guineas day looks to set up nicely for Crown Counsel, from a form standpoint anyway, who gets a run over a proper surface after running much of his campaign this year on fibresand. He hasn't finished outside of the top two in his four-race career and managed to win his last race despite veering out a bit on the run-in. A more focused performance would result in another score. Sikeeb (Alhaarth) also enters off a recent victory and the three-year-old colt already has experience at Newmarket and could be set to get the job done here. A relatively open race, but it will give plenty of momentum to whoever gets a win here.