Timeline of absentees: when the leading 2,000 Guineas players were ruled out

With Greenham Stakes winner Mohaather joining other big fancies in missing the Qipco 2,000 Guineas, we look back on when key colts were ruled out and how ante-post events have transpired . . .

Quorto
Charlie Appleby
March 13

The dramatic news of top-class juvenile Quorto missing the 2,000 Guineas surfaced during the Cheltenham Festival.

The unbeaten son of Dubawi was a fine winner of the National Stakes on his last start at two and was a general 8-1 second favourite for the Newmarket Classic before suffering a soft-tissue injury.

Quorto's return date remains unknown, and the hopes of owners Godolphin in the first Classic now rest primarily with the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Royal Marine.

Too Darn Hot
John Gosden
April 20

Too Darn Hot was a warm order to maintain his undefeated record in the 2,000 Guineas ahead of an eagerly anticipated Classic campaign.

Flirting with even-money in some ante-post books, the alarm bells first rang on April 10 when Too Darn Hot was ruled out of his intended prep run in the Greenham Stakes on account of heat in his splint bone.

Connections have since run out of time to fully tune up the champion two-year-old colt before Newmarket and have earmarked either the Dante Stakes or the Irish 2,000 Guineas as the next port of call.

Persian King
Andre Fabre
April 21

Trainer Andre Fabre was not swayed by Too Darn Hot's absence and stuck to his guns in electing to wait for the French equivalent.

The talented son of Kingman boasts a verdict over new Newmarket favourite Magna Grecia on the Rowley Mile in the Autumn Stakes last October, but the pair will not be renewing rivalry at Headquarters as Fabre considers Longchamp the best option.

Calyx
John Gosden
April 26

Following the omission of Too Darn Hot, John Gosden's hopes of training a first 2,000 Guineas winner rested with impressive Coventry Stakes scorer Calyx.

However, that excitement was short-lived despite a gamble which saw Calyx backed into as short as 6-1. Connections considered the 2,000 Guineas a stretch too far on Calyx's seasonal return and the Pavilion Stakes at Ascot on Wednesday is the plan.

Mohaather
Marcus Tregoning
April 28

Marcus Tregoning's name was cast into the spotlight once more when Mohaather took advantage of Too Darn Hot's absence to run out a good winner of the Greenham Stakes this month.

However, the fragility of the equine form was highlighted once more as Mohaather was found to be lame after exercise on Friday.

Tregoning confirmed on Sunday that he will miss the Newmarket Classic.

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