Stan James 2000 Guineas Betting tips

Teofilo, the winter favourite for the Stan James 2000 Guineas and champion two-year-old of last season, will miss the first colts' Classic of the season after suffering a setback. Jim Bolger's charge, who was the subject of an injury scare a couple of weeks back, which caused his odds to drift alarmingly on betting exchange Betfair, was found to be sore at the back of his off-fore knee on Thursday morning. This will come as a huge blow to the Bolger team, who were looking at a potential Guineas double this weekend, as they also have the ante-post favourite for the fillies' Classic on Sunday, the 1000 Guineas, in the shape of Finsceal Beo. The son of Galileo's enforced absence from Saturday's race has seen Ireland's grip on this race loosen further following the defection of the leading Aidan O'Brien-trained candidate, Mount Nelson, earlier in the week. Many bearing ante-post vouchers for the Classics will be keen to know where they stand with regards to future plans for the unbeaten Teofilo, who has also been well backed for next month's Epsom Derby. Bolger is set to issue a statement in two weeks' time, at which point the picture will be clearer. Sir Michael Stoute's Adagio is now at the head of the market for this eight-furlong contest on the Rowley Mile at around the 11/4 mark, ahead of the real unknown quantity of the race, French raider US Ranger, who ran out an impressive winner of the Listed Prix Djebel on his final start of last season.