Classic surprise: Godolphin add unbeaten Al Hilalee to 2,000 Guineas field

The unbeaten Al Hilalee has been supplemented by Godolphin for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas on Saturday after a racecourse gallop at Meydan last week.

The son of Dubawi, who won a Newmarket maiden and a Listed race at Deauville over a mile last summer, landed back in Britain only on Sunday and the decision to add him to the first Classic at a cost of £30,000 was taken on Monday morning.

He was introduced at between 12-1 and 16-1 in a market headed by the Aidan O'Brien pair of 7-2 favourite Magna Grecia and 5-1 shot Ten Sovereigns.

Godolphin already have the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Royal Marine set to run in the Newmarket Classic.

Al Hilalee's trainer Charlie Appleby said: "Al Hilalee pleased us in a racecourse gallop at Meydan on April 20 and we've decided to supplement him. He won both his starts last season and is fit and well. We felt he deserved a crack at what looks an open race."

Appleby added: "We put him away after his win at Deauville [in August] as he's a big unit and we felt he had done enough as a two-year-old. He has spent the whole winter in Dubai and arrived back in Newmarket yesterday morning.

"We've always felt he was going to be a potential Derby horse, and the 2,000 Guineas is one of the best Derby trials. He's not going to look out of place in an open renewal and I'm confident he can run a big race."

Twenty-four colts are in contention for the 2,000 Guineas after the forfeit stage on Monday, with Phoenix Of Spain - who had been a 20-1 chance - an absentee.

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