Auguste Rodin tops 14 seeking 2000 Guineas honours

PA Sport Reporters
May 4, 2023 9:19 am

Aidan O’Brien also fields Little Big Bear in Newmarket colts’ Classic.

Ante-post favourite Auguste Rodin heads 14 colts declared for Saturday’s Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien rates the Deep Impact colt as a possible Triple Crown contender at this stage, with Auguste Rodin having won three of his four starts to date, including the Group One Futurity Trophy at Doncaster last October.

O’Brien also fields Phoenix Stakes victor Little Big Bear, winner of four of his five runs and last year’s top-rated European juvenile with a mark of 124.

Chaldean will be ridden by Frankie Dettori (Mike Egerton/PA)

Chaldean heads the home defence with Andrew Balding’s charge bidding to give Frankie Dettori victory in the mile Classic in what is the rider’s final season before retirement.

The duo won the Dewhurst Stakes over seven furlongs on the Rowley Mile last term, but Dettori was unshipped coming out of the stalls on his return in last month’s Greenham at Newbury.

Royal Scotsman was beaten just a head by Chaldean in the Dewhurst and he reopposes for Paul and Oliver Cole, while Sakheer is a leading contender for Roger Varian after winning the Mill Reef last term.

Varian also fields Greenham runner up Charyn, with Charlie Appleby another who is double-handed with narrow Breeders’ Cup runner-up Silver Knott and Noble Style, who has been off the track since winning the Gimcrack last season.

Indestructible won the Craven Stakes at Newmarket (Tim Goode/PA)

Karl Burke runs Craven Stakes victor Indestructible along with Futurity third Holloway Boy, with outsider Flight Plan making it a triple challenge from the Middleham handler.

Charlie Johnston saddles his first Classic runner in his sole name as Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Dubai Mile takes his chance, while Kevin Ryan’s longshot Hi Royal completes a strong Yorkshire challenge.

Charlie Hills’ Galeron completes the line up, with only the O’Brien-trained Cairo not declared.