1,000 Guineas hopes Fallen Angel and Darnation in 'brilliant form' as Classic entries revealed

Europe's champion juvenile City Of Troy heads 49 entries for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 4, with stablemate and the leading filly of her generation, Opera Singer, among the same number engaged in the 1,000 Guineas a day later. 

Opera Singer heads the market at 5-1 with most bookmakers but Karl Burke has issued a positive bulletin surrounding Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Fallen Angel and Group 2 winner Darnation.

The trainer said: "We're delighted with both fillies. Fallen Angel went back to Steve Parkin's place at Branton Court for a couple of months and has done brilliantly. Darnation went back to Newtown Anner Stud Ireland for a minor operation and she too has come back in great form. 

"The pair of them did a little easy piece of work this morning and Danny Tudhope had his first sit on Fallen Angel. He was delighted with her."

Fallen Angel is no bigger than 8-1 for the 1,000 Guineas and will make her seasonal reappearance in the Classic.

"Fallen Angel goes straight to the Guineas and the plan would be to give her a racecourse gallop, hopefully at the Craven meeting," said Burke. "Darnation is a little bit more ground-reliant to be at her best, but the Guineas is also the plan with her at the moment.

"I was toying with a trial for her but she stays the mile so well that I don't want to drop her back to seven and there's every chance that if she could go straight to the Guineas, possibly taking in a racecourse gallop with Fallen Angel."

Having won both the Prestige and the May Hill, Darnation found quick going in the Prix Marcel Boussac against her when fifth to Opera Singer. 

Darnation: winner of the May Hill at Doncaster last yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

Burke said: "I still thought she ran really well and she's a different animal on soft ground, so if it came up that way, I'd give her a great chance in a Guineas."

The stable also has one of the least exposed entries for the 2,000 Guineas in Night Raider, a nine-length winner of his only start at Southwell in December.

"He's a beautiful animal with his future ahead of him and the 2,000 Guineas wouldn't be the be-all and end-all, but we're very excited about him," said Burke. "He has a great temperament with presence and a big stride.

"He goes back to Southwell on March 21 for another novice and if he comes through that fine, we'll make a decision on whether he goes for a trial or a racecourse gallop. But the Guineas is very much on our mind with him." 

City Of Troy, who won the Dewhurst Stakes in dominant fashion on his last start, is one of eight entries in the colts' Classic for Aidan O'Brien. 

The son of Justify could be joined by National Stakes winner Henry Longfellow, although the trainer has already highlighted the possibility of sending him to France for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains eight days later. 

O'Brien has also given an entry to The Liffey, who made a winning debut at the Curragh in June but was not seen again in 2023.

Qipco 2,000 Guineas card and odds

Qipco 1,000 Guineas card and odds

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