2,000 Guineas dark horse Night Raider as short as 10-1 for Newmarket Classic after second dominant win

Night Raider is as short as 10-1 for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas after extending his unbeaten record with a dominant win in novice company at Southwell.

Owned by Clipper Logistics, the Karl Burke-trained son of Dark Angel set tongues wagging when he posted the joint-eighth best Racing Post Rating (95) of any debuting juvenile in Britain and Ireland last year at Southwell in December.

He was a top-priced 33-1 for the 2,000 Guineas before his second start at the same Nottinghamshire all-weather track.

Bookmakers did not take long to remove that price after his second comfortable win, this time under a penalty under Danny Tudhope. The three-year-old was sent off 1-4 and made all, with Tudhope merely having to push him out to beat his main market rival Cogitate.

Speaking to Sky Sports Racing, Tudhope said: "Physically he’s a proper horse to look at and sit on. I think he needed that experience again today, he’s sort of hung a little bit up the straight, but he’s done it in good fashion. He’s a nice horse, the Guineas is the target and he’s kept that alive."

Sky Bet took the strongest view regarding the 2,000 Guineas, cutting him from 33-1 at the start of the day to 10-1, while most other firms have elected to go between 12-1 and 16-1.

The unbeaten City Of Troy, who won the Dewhurst Stakes on his last start, is set to be Aidan O’Brien’s only representative in search of an 11th win in the 2,000 Guineas and is 4-5 favourite with Coral.

His stablemate Henry Longfellow is next best in the market at 6-1, with Group 1 winners Rosallion (Richard Hannon) and Ancient Wisdom (Charlie Appleby) next in the market at 8-1 and 10-1 respectively.

Burke indicated the Classic remains the plan, although he may run before then.

"The [original] idea was to go straight to the Guineas with a racecourse gallop at the Craven meeting," said Burke. "Another run is probably the right thing to do, Danny said he could do with another run, he’s still green in front.

"I don’t think I’d be taking the 10-1, the 40-1 I had a couple of months ago is a bit better. He’s obviously a very good horse."

Qipco 2,000 Guineas (Newmarket, May 4)

Coral: 4-5 City Of Troy, 6 Henry Longfellow, 8 Rosallion, 10 Ancient Wisdom, 12 Ghostwriter, 14 Night Raider, 16 River Tiber, Task Force, 20 bar

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