'Ryan has loved him from day one' - will Auguste Rodin spark Triple Crown dream in 2,000 Guineas?

History tells us the perceived Aidan O'Brien first-string can sometimes be upstaged by a lesser fancied stablemate in the 2,000 Guineas.

This year O'Brien fields the first two in the market, Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear, as he bids to win the Newmarket Classic for a remarkable 11th time.

Based on respective odds of 15-8 and 9-2, it would hardly come as a shock of seismic proportions if Little Big Bear exposed any faults in his stablemate, who has been hot favourite since landing the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster last October.

Auguste Rodin possesses definite superstar potential, hailed by his trainer last year as "probably the most exciting horse we've ever had".

O'Brien has mentioned the Triple Crown – 2,000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger – which was last landed by Nijinsky in 1970,  when talking about Auguste Rodin, but Little Big Bear showed tremendous improvement during his juvenile career too, culminating in a seven-length defeat of Persian Force in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes.

Is Ryan Moore on the more talented colt? The money in recent days for Little Big Bear suggests some believe that not to be the case.

O'Brien said: "Everything has gone well with the two colts in the lead-up, but the one concern I would have is that they travelled over on Friday and will spend the night in Newmarket. We've never travelled the day before to the Guineas so this is something we're not used to doing. As regards the ground, I hope the rain stays away for both horses.

"They are both beautiful movers so the better the ground, the better they will be. Auguste Rodin has always showed a lot of class in his work from the start and Ryan has loved him from day one.

"The plan would be to step Auguste Rodin up in trip for the Derby after this, while Little Big Bear will either stay over a mile or drop in trip, depending on how he gets on. He's a very relaxed, very chilled colt, so that will give him every chance of staying a mile."

Chaldean out to emulate famous father Frankel

It is 12 years since the mighty Frankel produced one of the most extraordinary performances of all time when annihilating his 2,000 Guineas opponents in the famous pink and green silks of Juddmonte. Now his son, Chaldean, winner of four of his five starts during an impressive two-year-old campaign, aims to emulate Frankel by flying up the Rowley Mile to land the £500,000 Qipco-backed showpiece.

Those wins included a head defeat of Royal Scotsman in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes last October – historically the best British guide to the Guineas – and his ante-post backers would have gone into the winter in high spirits.

Chaldean's reappearance, when he dumped Frankie Dettori at the start of the Greenham Stakes, didn't go according to plan, but his reputation has been in no way tarnished.

"It's a deep race, but we're very happy with him," said Barry Mahon, racing manager to Juddmonte. "He returned from Newbury pretty unscathed, and enjoyed his day away. He has trained well since, and Frankie came down to Kingsclere last Saturday to ride a piece of work on him."

Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear are drawn on the other side of the track to Chaldean, who is berthed in stall three.

"The draw is an unknown," Mahon admitted. "Most of the fancied contenders are drawn high, but stall three has a good record in the race."

Chaldean won his races last year with great authority, and looks the type to train on and make a top-class three-year-old.

"He enjoyed a great season," Mahon added. "I think he won the Dewhurst with a bit more comfort than the margin suggests. We're really looking forward to seeing him run."

Cole bids to roll back years with Royal Scotsman

Paul Cole, who sent out Generous to win the Derby in 1991, has high hopes of pulling off another Classic success with Royal Scotsman.

Cole, now training in partnership with son Oliver, regularly competed at the top level during the halcyon days of his Whatcombe stable – the likes of Culture Vulture, Snurge, Ibn Bey, Sarab and Mr Dinos roll off the tongue – and another big-race victory at this stage of his career would give him an enormous amount of pleasure.

"The horse is 100 per cent and looks a million dollars," Cole said. "He has been working very well. Nobody really knows whether the English two-year-old form is better than the Irish form, but I feel the English form last year was particularly good. Royal Scotsman was second to Chaldean in the Dewhurst, and I think that is very strong form."

Victory for Royal Scotsman would give the Cole yard a huge boost, and the trainer added: "It would mean a lot to me in terms of the business; it would mean a lot for the team, and Oliver, and everyone else. We like Royal Scotsman. He's going to run a big race."

What they say

Roger Varian, trainer of Charyn and Sakheer
They're both well. Charyn ran really well in the Greenham and is a high-class colt. It was encouraging to see him finish the way he did through the line there, and he should stay the mile. We're looking forward to getting Sakheer going. He's also a high-class colt and if he stays the mile we'll know he'll be a top miler. We won't know that until the final two furlongs of the race, but he looks super.

Karl Burke, trainer of Flight Plan, Holloway Boy and Indestructible
Indestructible has the form in the book on the track. He'll strip a bit fitter and we know he stays the trip. The visor is back on Holloway Boy. He's been labelled a bit quirky after Doncaster but I don't necessarily agree; he wants riding a certain way and Christophe Soumillon will suit him well. If I was having a bet my £50 each-way would be on Flight Plan at 50-1. He's progressed really well, he needed the run badly at Newcastle and his work has been very good.

Charlie Hills, trainer of Galeron
I've been very happy with him in the lead up to the race and was delighted with his previous run. He has lots of experience, which should stand him in good stead.

Kevin Ryan, trainer of Hi Royal
He's a fine, big scopey horse who impressed in both runs last year and ran a cracking race for a long way at Newmarket on his return, despite finding the ground a bit dead. He will be suited by returning to a mile – we've always thought he’d get ten furlongs this year.

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Noble Style and Silver Knott
Silver Knott's preparation has gone well. He is proven on the track and we feel he has a nice profile going into the race. He will see the mile out well, but we wouldn't want too much rain. I genuinely feel he could run a big race. I would imagine James [Doyle] will ride a patient race on Noble Style as we are sitting on the fence as to whether he will get the trip. He has some great two-year-old form behind him and the Gimcrack run looks rock-solid, with the second and third both winning Group 3s this season, albeit over sprint distances. The trip is the big question, but he settles well, which will hopefully give him the best opportunity of seeing out the mile. The sounder the better for him in terms of ground.

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Read the rest of Saturday's previews:

2.50 Newmarket: 'He's going to run a big race' - can Blackrod go back-to-back in a red-hot handicap? 

3.25 Newmarket: 'He's got an outstanding chance' - can Majestic complete Cambridgeshire and Suffolk Stakes double? 

4.00 Newmarket: 'He has a 3lb penalty for a reason' - high hopes for Manaccan in competitive Palace House Stakes 

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