Guineas weekend has thrown up a cracking Royal Ascot bet - plus two Epsom longshots to consider

Ante-post punters have to watch any given race with at least one eye on the future. When it comes to Guineas weekend, that means considering how the two Classics are likely to inform their mile-and-a-half equivalents at Epsom four weeks down the line.

This year's 2,000 Guineas looked particularly crucial to the Derby in advance because the favourite, Auguste Rodin, has always been seen as more of a middle-distance colt in the making. Except, of course, the race turned into a complete non-event for him, in the words of his trainer Aidan O'Brien.

Bookmakers reacted by shoving him out to 7-1 from around 2-1 but I'm slightly surprised the market didn't go further. There was nothing to take from his run whatsoever. Even if he had run a race like Dubai Mile, who stayed on into fifth, there would have at least been something to build on.