Countdown to Irish 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas

Covid-19 has been playing havoc across all sporting events with horse racing one of many casualties, however Irish racing fans will be looking forward to their favourite pastime returning in the next few weeks following the announcement that the sport will resume under certain restrictions in early June.

The first two classics of the season will take place as planned at the Curragh on 12th and 13th June with the Irish 1000 Guineas and Irish 2000 Guineas. Trainer Ger Lyons said earlier this month that his preference was to swerve the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and head instead to the Irish equivalent with Keeneland Phoenix Stakes victor Siskin next month.

11/4 favourite Siskin has been heading the Irish 2000 Guineas ante-post market for some time now and the 3-year-old will be looking to continue an unbeaten record of four straight wins, the last three of these being at this course. The Khalid Abdullah-owned runner bypassed the seven-furlong National Stakes in September, instead being aimed at the six-furlong Middle Park Stakes although despite being strongly fancied in the race, he became agitated in the starting stalls and had to be withdrawn.

Generally a laid-back horse, Siskin has been heavily backed to triumph at the Curragh next month and the out-of-character display is being seen as a one-off, punters seemingly more than happy to adopt this approach.

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Albigna was one of Jessica Harrington’s star juvenile fillies in 2019 and she looked in excellent shape ahead of what connections were hoping would be classic campaigns ahead of the lockdown. With the classics still very much on the cards, Harrington will be hoping that the 3-year-old can follow up her wins in the Airlie Stud Stakes at this course and the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp with another in the 1000 Guineas.

The daughter of Zoffany is 16/1 for the Newmarket 1000 Guineas and 13/8 favourite to be first past the post in the Irish equivalent next month, this runner having rounded off her campaign with a fourth-placed finish in the Breeders’ Cup in November.

Stablemate Alpine Star has been out of action since grinding out a narrow win in the Debutante Stakes on 23rd August, however the filly is looking in good form right now and is fancied to put in a good showing at the Curragh next month.

 

Irish 1000 Guineas odds from Unibet

 

13/8 –  Albigna

11/4 –  Love

4/1 –  Alpine Star

13/2 –  Millisle

10/1 –  So Wonderful

12/1 –  Cayenne Pepper

 

Irish 2000 Guineas

 

11/4 –  Siskin

7/2  –  Arizona

6/1  –  Wichita

7/1  –  Mogul

7/1  –  Innisfree

8/1  –  Armory

14/1 –  Sinawann

14/1 –  Royal Dornoch

14/1 –  Lope Y Fernandez

14/1 –  Monarch Of Egypt

16/1 –  Royal Lytham

20/1 –  Agitare

20/1 –  Year Of The Tiger

20/1 –  Vatican City

25/1 –  Free Solo