THE Qipco 2000 Guineas may be missing one or two of the names that we thought might be there, but it is still an intriguing contest. It always is.

Ten Sovereigns is set to go to a seventh and eighth furlong for the first time, and that is a significant part of the intrigue. Aidan O’Brien’s horse was campaigned exclusively over six furlongs last season. He won a 25-runner maiden at the Curragh by seven lengths and he danced in in the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes, before going to Newmarket and winning the Middle Park Stakes.