3.40 Tattersalls Irish 2000

Guineas (Group 1) 1m

Alparslan: Hails from a British stable with quite the record when sending runners to major Irish meetings, including a valuable payday here at last year’s Irish Champions Festival with this colt in a sales race. Finished behind Gstaad and Distant Storm when sixth in last year’s Dewhurst Stakes, but back with a bang this season to beat Zavateri and Albert Einstein in the Greenham. Bypassed Newmarket in the hope of slower ground here. Requires a career-best performance, must prove his stamina and not exactly a vote of confidence that regular rider Clifford Lee has stayed at Haydock to ride classy stablemates Venetian Sun and Night Raider in Group 2s.

Bamako Beach: Looks a maiden winner waiting to happen on the evidence of two seconds in maidens (beaten a neck twice). However, huge ask to think he’d upset one with Group 1 form like Gstaad.

Distant Storm: Godolphin challenger finished a length and a half behind Gstaad when the pair were second and third in the Dewhurst last October. However, the gap was eight lengths when they filled the same placings in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket three weeks ago. Stable’s runners are probably in a better place now than then and he was also drawn away from where the main players came home last time.

Go Just Do It: Official rating of 98 means he has 22lb to find with Gstaad but did win readily in a maiden at Gowran last month and is open to progress for an in-form Joseph O’Brien. Lots more on his plate but not a shock if he took home a decent share of the minor prize money.

Gstaad: Impressive Coventry Stakes winner, who suffered three consecutive near misses in the Prix Morny, National Stakes and Dewhurst before readily landing the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar. But for the presence of Bow Echo (won by two and three-quarters of a length), we’d surely be hailing him as one of the most impressive 2000 Guineas winners in recent times, having pulled eight lengths in front of his nearest rival at Newmarket. Every chance he’ll come forward from that outing and deserves his place at the top of the market.

Neolithic: Capable sort but yet to suggest he can make an impact at this level. Faded to third late after racing prominently in the Tetrarch here last time.

Pacific Avenue: Second-string for Charlie Appleby was turned over as 4/6 favourite in a Goodwood conditions event three weeks ago, though had run well when second in a Meydan listed event a month earlier (was second-string then too, however). Hard to make a compelling case for him.

Power Blue: Last year’s Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner over six furlongs here, beating 1/4 favourite True Love on that occasion, though he never raced again at two. Finished two and a half lengths behind Thesecretadversary (when trying to give that rival 3lb) in a Leopardstown Guineas Trial on his comeback. He was a length behind the same colt at Newmarket off levels when the pair were seventh and ninth in the 2000 Guineas.

Take Charge Star: Useful Gowran maiden winner last September is rated 97. He must show a lot more than when fifth in the Tetrarch here earlier this month.

Thesecretadversary: Chesham Stakes runner-up won at listed level last term but has raised his game at three, making a striking comeback at Leopardstown to capture the 2000 Guineas Trial in fine style. His subsequent 2000 Guineas fifth at Newmarket (beaten 12 lengths by Bow Echo) can probably be marked up given he got quite lit up in the early stages and raced keenly. Given he was nine and a quarter lengths behind Gstaad then, he probably is more of a place contender – unless the favourite fails to fire.

Conclusion

Aidan O’Brien is in pole position to register a record-extending 13th win in this race with Newmarket runner-up Gstaad, who is a standout if running to the level he showed last time. It wouldn’t be a shock if Thesecretadversary reversed 2000 Guineas form with Distant Storm for the minor money, while Go Just Do It will be ready to pounce for the minor money if Alparslan doesn’t stay the mile.