The big four: all you need to know about the key players in the colts' Classic

O'Brien eyes new record with 'probably the most imposing colt we've trained'

CHURCHILL

A year on from Air Force Blue's hugely disappointing effort in the 2,000 Guineas, Aidan O'Brien is back seeking a record eighth win in the Qipco-sponsored Classic with Churchill, last season's champion two-year-old.

The 2,000 Guineas is the British Classic O'Brien has won more than any other – an equal number of times with John Scott, whose seven wins came between 1842 and 1862 – and Churchill, who progressed with every run last year, when he achieved Group 1 success in the National Stakes and Dewhurst, is held in the highest regard by connections.

Hopes are high he can emulate such star O'Brien-trained performers of the past as Rock Of Gibraltar, George Washington, Henrythenavigator and Camelot, and Churchill, described by his trainer as "probably the most imposing colt we've trained", goes into the assignment minus a previous run this year, a policy O'Brien usually adopts with his front-line Guineas contenders.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Aidan O'Brien's 2,000 Guineas winners

1998 King Of Kings 7-2
2002 Rock Of Gibraltar 9-1
2005 Footstepsinthesand 13-2
2006 George Washington 6-4f
2008 Henrythenavigator 11-1
2012 Camelot 15-8f
2015 Gleneagles 4-1f

The trainer said: "Churchill was a very mature two-year-old and has done very well since last season. It's his first run of the year and we're looking forward to it. He's a straightforward colt and usually a relaxed one. All has gone well with him in recent months and everything's good with him."

Ryan Moore will be seeking a second win in the race having ridden O'Brien's most recent winner of the Classic, Gleneagles, in 2015.

Joining Churchill are Lancaster Bomber, who finished second to the big-race favourite in the Dewhurst in October before running second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita, and Spirit Of Valor.

O'Brien added: "Lancaster Bomber ran very well first time out this year when fourth in the UAE Derby and is in good form, while Spirit Of Valor finished eighth in the same race at Meydan, where he ran into trouble on the final bend. We've been very happy with him since."

Pros Churchill was an outstanding performer at two and has the ability and attitude to shine

Cons He is a big colt without a previous run this year, so possible fitness questions to answer

Greenham hero bids to make it perfect three

BARNEY ROY

There was a stunned silence around the Rowley Mile when Night Of Thunder won the Qipco 2,000 Guineas for Richard Hannon in 2014, but there would be nothing shocking about Barney Roy handing him another success.

Hannon made no secret about his affection for this son of Excelebration in the build-up to the Greenham Stakes and Barney Roy kept up his end of the bargain with a seriously impressive performance.

Fellow Godolphin-owned colt Dream Castle looked like running away with the race for a moment but Barney Roy picked him up and pulled well clear in the style of a good thing, and now he takes his unbeaten record to Newmarket.

"He has had just two starts in his life and won both in convincing fashion," said Hannon, who has reported putting his money where his mouth is having backed the horse at some fancy prices.

"He's a son of Excelebration who undoubtedly, were it not for Frankel, would have won plenty more races at Group 1 level.

"His emphatic victory at Haydock in a maiden last year prompted the sale [to Godolphin] to go through and he seems to have progressed into a lovely colt, proving himself in the Greenham on his last start."

Hannon is also represented in the race by Larchmont Lad, who was well held in fifth by Eminent in the Craven but takes his chance.

"He was definitely in need of his first run in the Craven and has come on plenty for the race," said Hannon. "Cheveley Park Stud bought him at the beginning of the season and they could have plenty of fun with him. He won his maiden in emphatic style at Sandown and progressed from there to take the Somerville Tattersall Stakes, beating some likely types and showing a liking to the Rowley Mile."

Pros Barney Roy is entitled to improve on only his third start and the sky appears to be the limit at this early stage

Cons He has to prove he can handle the undulations of the Rowley Mile

Local hero out to follow in footsteps of the mighty Frankel

EMINENT

If there is a horse with the capacity to raise the Rowley Mile roof with victory in the first Classic of the year, it is surely the strapping son of Frankel, Eminent.

Trained locally by the popular Martyn Meade, Eminent was among the cheapest of the Frankel yearlings to change hands but is unbeaten in two starts over the Guineas trip at Newmarket and lit up the Craven meeting with victory in the week's feature race.

Now he goes in search of a win in a race won so famously by his father with the presence of reigning champion jockey Jim Crowley on his back adding further interest.

CRAVEN WINNERS IN THE 2,000 GUINEAS
Since 2004

2004 HAAFHD WON
2005 Democratic Deficit 6th
2006 Killybegs 11th
2007 Adagio 12th
2009 Delegator 2nd
2010 Elusive Pimpernel 5th
2011 Native Khan 3rd
2012 Trumpet Major 4th
2013 Toronado 4th
2014 Toormore 7th
2015 Kool Kompany 13th
2016 Stormy Antarctic 11th

"I'm really looking forward to the day and can't wait to ride Eminent again," said Crowley. "I've always liked this horse and felt he would improve from the Craven, although I wasn't surprised he was able to win.

"I think he's the same type of horse as Churchill in that they both want a nice, honest gallop. He's pretty uncomplicated too and won't need holding up or anything like that, so hopefully things will go smoothly.

"If they didn't go quick enough he could be vulnerable to something with a turn of foot, but in that case he could go on and make his own running. I can't see that being an issue though, because there are a few horses in there who'll need a good gallop."

With the Stobart jockeys' championship starting on Saturday, Crowley, who since landing his title last year has been signed up to ride for Hamdan Al Maktoum, added: "It's nice to be coming in as the reigning champion but it's not really on my list of priorities at the moment.

"I'm not going to try to chase my tail just yet because it's a long season, but if we're close at Goodwood then we'll probably step it up again."

ProsProven Rowley Mile performer and uncomplicated enough to adapt to however the race pans out

ConsTook a long time to get going in the Craven, suggesting his best trip could be over further, and may be exposed by a rival with a superior turn of foot

Fabre looks to turn back the clock with latest raider

AL WUKAIR

It may be alarming to some to realise it is 22 and 24 years respectively since Pennekamp and Zafonic ruled the Rowley Mile for Andre Fabre.

But for the master trainer himself, it has been a case of aiming very sparingly at the 2,000 Guineas, with Al Wukair set to be just his third runner this century.

Given he did not make his Saint-Cloud debut until the last day of September there was never likely to be much chance Al Wukair would be set the severest of tests at two.

FRENCH INVASIONS
Andre Fabre's 2,000 Guineas runners

1991 Lycius 2nd
1992 Tertian 6th, Steinbeck
1993 ZAFONIC WON
1994 Signe Divin 19th
1995 PENNEKAMP WON
1997 Zamindar 5th
1998 Xaar 4th
2002 Massalani 8th
2015 Territories 2nd

Yet Al Wukair could not have been more of an eyecatcher when coming out on top in the Listed Prix Isonomy at Deauville, a race that contained no fewer than eight last-time-out winners.

Fabre has trained Al Wukair for this race and he was once again impressive when swatting aside Group 1 winner National Defense in the traditional French prep for Newmarket, the Prix Djebel.

That performance came on unseasonably good ground and in a time only 0.03 seconds outside Le Havre’s race record.

He gave Gregory Benoist a scare at halfway before grabbing hold of the bridle and surging to the lead, after which Fabre described the whole experience as “extremely useful” in terms of educating his charge.

Al Wukair: trainer Andre Fabre is concerned by his lack of experience

The engine is clearly there, though the trainer points to Al Wukair’s relative lack of match practice as a potential hindrance.

“His lack of experience is my concern,” said Fabre. “They're young horses and it’s new opposition. I'm hopeful but cannot be over-confident. But I've absolutely always thought of him as a horse for Newmarket [rather than for the Poule d’Essai].”

Pros Has shown an explosive turn of foot against decent opposition in his last two starts and is rated extremely highly by Fabre, who recommended him to the owners upon seeing him at Tattersalls.

Cons Ability to handle the Dip on fast ground has to be taken on trust, while his inexperience concerns his trainer

2,000 Guineas card and betting