Newmarket 2000 Guineas best bets: Notable Speech and Haatem can chase City Of Troy home

15:35 Newmarket: Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes (1 mile)

Last year, Aidan O’Brien was reported to have said that City Of Troy was the best two-year-old he had ever saddled, which is quite a statement and makes it unsurprising that his prize colt has been installed as the odds-on favourite to convert that high praise into a Classic victory.

Planet Sport Bet Daily Special: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if City Of Troy wins, get a £5 Free Bet

Two tidy wins in July were crowned by an emphatic victory over seven furlongs in the Dewhurst Stakes here in October, with re-opposing Alyanaabi, Haatem and Iberian diminishing figures in his rearview mirror.

Ryan Moore will ensure that his charge get the best possible treatment from the saddle, and with entries already booked for the Epsom Derby and the Irish versions of both Classics, City Of Troy could be in for a memorable three-year-old campaign.

Best bet: City Of Troy in the 15:35 at Newmarket (2000 Guineas)

• Tip advised by Reed’s Punts on Tipstrr

From a betting perspective, of course, the benefit of having a red-hot favourite is that the odds of all ten of his rivals are enhanced to the level of representing decent each-way value.

At the time of writing, only Richard Hannon’s Rosallion was commanding a single-digit price, albeit needing to overcome a seven-month break since last seen winning a Group 1 race tidily on Arc day at Longchamp.

Of much more interest is the ride of William Buick, who has piloted Notable Speech to three straight wins over this distance on Kempton’s all-weather track since the turn of the year.

He looked particularly impressive last time out four weeks ago, when he showed a sharp turn of foot from off the pace to surge majestically clear of his rivals, never stronger than when hitting the line.

It’s an unusual approach from Charlie Appleby to prepare for a Classic solely on a synthetic surface, so there will inevitably be a question mark over his ability to transfer that form onto an undulating track with cut in the ground.  

Should he enjoy his first experience of turf, then he clearly has the ability to put himself in the mix and might even be smart enough to give the favourite something to think about.

So far this season, 40 of Appleby’s 62 runners have made the frame (22 of them winners), while Buick’s record has his number one jockey is no less impressive, and they will be entering this race with higher expectations than Notable Speech’s odds suggest.

Best each-way bet: Notable Speech each-way in the 15:35 at Newmarket (2000 Guineas)

• Tip advised by Quit Foaling Around on Tipstrr

Should any of the market leaders falter, then there could be room for any of the apparent outsiders deeper in the betting to make their presence felt.

Clive Cox’s Ghostwriter could be useful on his reappearance after being last seen landing the Royal Lodge Stakes over this course and distance in September, his first attempt over a mile.

It is another Hannon charge, Haatem, who has caught the collective eye of Tipstrr’s each-way specialists, however, who was twice well beaten by City Of Troy over seven furlongs last term, but clearly improved for stepping up to a mile when winning the Craven Stakes over course and distance 16 days ago. 

He is likely to have improved further for that outing, and while he might not have what it takes to challenge the favourite, his race fitness makes him a decent each-way prospect against the majority of his rivals who will be hoping to hit the ground running on their season debut.

Alternative each-way punt: Haatem each-way in the 15:35 at Newmarket (2000 Guineas)

• Tip advised by Quasi’s Hunches on Tipstrr

 

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