2023 Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket: assessing the top five contenders for Saturday's big race

The Qipco 2,000 Guineas (4.40 Newmarket, Saturday) is the first Classic of the season and a race renowned for unearthing future superstars. Here, we go through the form of the leading contenders and produce an early verdict on who will come out on top.

Auguste Rodin

Form: 2111-

Strengths: First foal out of triple Group 1 winner Rhododendron and capped off his juvenile campaign with an impressive three-and-a-half-length victory in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy in October.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien won that Doncaster race with Camelot, Saxon Warrior and Magna Grecia – who all went on to land the 2,000 Guineas the following year.

Will not be inconvenienced by an ease in the ground and is bred to stay further, valuable attributes should this turn into a stamina test.

Auguste Rodin: smart Futurity Trophy winnerCredit: Edward Whitaker

Weaknesses: Less likely to appreciate a sprint and as the ante-post favourite for the Derby, he has other big targets on his radar later this season.

Odds: 2-1

What they say

Aidan O'Brien, trainer: "He's very slick, a very long, very low mover. Everything went wrong in the race [Futurity] and he still won. If we have a horse who could do the Triple Crown, he would definitely be the one."

Auguste Rodin16:40 Newmarket

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Jky: Tnr: A P O'Brien

Little Big Bear

Form: 21111-

Strengths: Put up one of the most impressive juvenile performances in recent memory when running out a seven-length winner of the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh in August.

That victory produced a Racing Post Rating of 123, which would have been good enough to land the last seven renewals of the 2,000 Guineas.

The highest-rated horse in the field and reportedly caught the eye in a recent racecourse gallop.

Little Big Bear: seven-length winner of the Phoenix StakesCredit: Caroline Norris

Weaknesses: Has not raced since the Phoenix, and horses in that race are a combined 0-7 since, so the form is open to question.

Yet to race beyond six and a half furlongs so has stamina over a mile to prove, particularly as he tended to race prominently as a juvenile.

Odds: 5-1

What they say

Aidan O'Brien, trainer: "What he did in the Phoenix was just different. He would be very comfortable and happy to go back sprinting any time, but there's a very good chance he'll get a mile. He races very relaxed."

Little Big Bear16:40 Newmarket

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Jky: Tnr: A P O'Brien

Chaldean

Form: 1111-U

Strengths: Confirmed his status as the best of the British juveniles with a game victory in the Dewhurst at this track in October.

Tends to race prominently and his uncomplicated style looks an advantage on a track he clearly handles well.

Frankie Dettori is expected to be aboard on what is to be his final ride in the 2,000 Guineas and he landed the Italian equivalent on Monday.

Chaldean (right) beats Royal Scotsman in the Dewhurst StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

Weaknesses: Greenham comeback didn't go to plan when unseating Dettori at the start and that is not ideal preparation for this assignment.

Odds: 6-1

What they say

Andrew Balding, trainer: "He is versatile and he didn't have to make it [in the Dewhurst] but it didn't look like there was any obvious pace here. What we didn't want was it to turn into a sprint and for us to be out of our ground. He will be fine [in a Guineas] and the bigger the field the better off he will be."

Chaldean16:40 Newmarket

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Jky: Frankie Dettori Tnr: Andrew Balding

Sakheer

Form: 211-

Strengths: Justified odds-on favouritism with victory in the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury in September.

Travelled through that Group 2 contest like a potential top-notcher and put the race to bed impressively.

The least exposed of the main protagonists and therefore retains plenty of scope for improvement.

Sakheer: impressive winner of the Mill Reef Stakes at NewburyCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Weaknesses: Pedigree suggests that he is far from a guaranteed stayer and it is a slight concern that Roger Varian’s horses are 0-22 in the last fortnight.

Odds: 7-1

What they say

Roger Varian, trainer: "We're as confident as we can be that Sakheer will stay but nobody knows until the Guineas. If he doesn't get home, then we could drop him in trip."

Sakheer16:40 Newmarket

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Jky: Tnr: Roger Varian

Royal Scotsman

Form: 13152-

Strengths: Gained both of his juvenile victories at Goodwood, but proved his versatility with placed efforts in both the Coventry at Royal Ascot and the Dewhurst.

Has only a head to find with Chaldean on that Dewhurst showing and shaped as though he would benefit from stepping up to a mile.

Handles different ground and with no Shadwell-owned horse entered, regular jockey Jim Crowley should be free to take the ride.

Royal Scotsman: winner under Jim Crowley in the Richmond Stakes at GoodwoodCredit: Edward Whitaker

Weaknesses: At the time of writing the Paul and Oliver Cole yard is 0-21 with their runners in Britain this year.

Odds: 8-1

What they say

Paul Cole, joint-trainer: "He's been working really well and is not a difficult horse to train. He's sound and well and it's all been plain sailing so far. It was always the plan to go straight to the Guineas and the logic behind that is you'd have to start a month earlier to go for a trial."

Royal Scotsman16:40 Newmarket

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Jky: Tnr: Paul & Oliver Cole

Verdict

Auguste Rodin looked a potential standout three-year-old when impressively landing the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October and Aidan O'Brien is expected to have been working backwards from the 2,000 Guineas with the colt ever since. Connections will ensure that this is run at a suitable pace to enable his proven stamina to come into play late on, and he is the horse that they all have to beat. Sakheer is the potential fly in the ointment following his impressive Mill Reef victory, but stamina must be taken on trust and Auguste Rodin rates the far more reliable proposition.

Auguste Rodin16:40 Newmarket

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Jky: Tnr: A P O'Brien

Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes (4.40 Newmarket, Saturday, May 6)

bet365: 15-8 Auguste Rodin, 7-2 Little Big Bear, 5 Chaldean, 7 Sakheer, 8 Royal Scotsman, 12 Silver Knott, Noble Style, 16 bar

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