Racing in Britain having been suspended for 76 days since 17th March starts again this week. With flat racing’s first two Classics, the 2,000 Guineas betting and 1,000 Guineas betting rounding off the action at Newmarket at the weekend.

The Qipco-sponsored 2,000 Guineas is a race open to both colts and fillies with the Qipco 1,000 Guineas run the following day. Both races are for 3 year-olds only.

Favourite Pinatubo is one of the 15 entries for the Qipco 2000 Guineas on Saturday 6 June. Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, the colt has so far won all six of his starts, enjoying a perfect career campaign start.

Aiden O’Brien will be hoping to knock the favourite off the winning post with one of his four runners including Wichita ridden by Frankie Dettori who is already enjoying a good week having won on his return to horse racing at Kempton on Tuesday.

Dettori has won the 2000 Guineas twice previously for ex-employers Godophin but has enjoyed more success in the 1000 Guineas with three previous wins in 1998, 2002 and 2011.

The QIPCO 1000 Guineas dates back to 1814 and celebrated its 200th running in 2013. It is the second Classic of the British Flat season, but unlike the 2,000 Guineas the race is only open to three-year old fillies. Both Classics are run on the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket over one mile.

Also riding in the 1,000 Guineas is Cieren Fallon, who is taking inspiration from his father’s shock 2,000 Guineas success on Night Of Thunder as he prepares for the first Classic of his career aboard Les Hogues on Sunday.

However, it’s Quadrilateral trained by Roger Charlton and ridden by Jason Watson who is the favourite with the Frankel filly winning all three of her starts last year.

Preparations for the Guineas meeting at Newmarket have been stringent in light of the coronavirus pandemic and whilst the racing will go ahead, the car park and stands will be empty with owners, bookmakers and media likely to be kept behind temporary wire fencing around the racecourse.

The course will only be open to a limited people apart from the jockeys will include trainers’ representatives, stable staff, officials and a small number of media and those allowed will have to complete a three-stage screening process, including medical checks before
departure and on arrival.

However, in whatever form, racing is back! Guineas Festival Betting.

As Dettori says “It’s all happening now. We usually have a stop-start season, but now it is full on. At the moment I’ve seen everything running smoothly and long may that continue. It is the start of sport – we are a non-contact sport and it’s great we are able to start.”

Sources:
racingpost.com
bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing
racingahead.net
news.coral.co.uk
theguardian.com