One Quick Reminder

By Alan Conway

We have reached the first weekend in May. That can only mean one thing. It’s 2000 Guineas time. All the hopes and dreams that have been burning throughout the winter months will be either kept alive or will be snuffed out in a matter of moments this Saturday. This year’s renewal looks a cracker. There will be many people who think St Nicholas Abbey, the runaway winner of the Racing Post Trophy last October is a sure thing.

Normally I would be getting quite excited about such a horse, given his connections and the utterings that have emanated from Ballydoyle about the Montjeu colt. This year my enthusiasm is being kept under control. The last horse I followed this closely from two to three left me shaking for weeks after.

Like St Nicholas Abbey, One Cool Cat was a red hot favourite for the first classic of the season. A dual Group 1 winner as a two year old his trainer Aidan O’Brien was so excited by the colt at the end of his two year old season that he gushed “I think I’ll move him in beside me and knock a door in the bedroom to put him up for the winter!” Armed with that comment and the fact that he should have developed physically from two to three I set out to land a touch on him for the 2000 Guineas. Nothing major, a sneaky tenner here and there as the weeks went by. Come the time of Guineas my bets stood to win 500 euro. Now I know to some people that may not be a huge amount, but to a 17 year old, it was like manna from heaven.

I sat down to watch the race. Heart pumping. I had a vision of how the race would pan out. One Cool Cat and Jamie Spencer would be last off the bridle and would race clear of the field and win like a favourite should. Oh how wrong I was. I was concerned when Spencer sat so far out the back. I was even more concerned when One Cool Cat was first off the bridle. First, never mind last. I was doomed. My master plan had failed. I certainly wasn’t a one cool cat after that Guineas, more like one battered punter. It proved a valuable lesson for me. Always be wary of supposed “good things”.

The 2000 Guineas is quite a difficult race to find the winner. The majority of the field are having their first start of the season, so you are taking their fitness as a given. Some horses change mentally from their two year old season. The famous words “not trained on” have been used about many a defeated Guineas horse. One Cool Cat aside there is a long list of beaten horses like Giants Causeway, Hawk Wing and New Approach who where found out over the Rowley Mile.

Looking ahead to this year’s race it is easy to see why many people are snapping up any price they can get about St Nicholas Abbey. He was a brilliant two year old, as good as I have seen. There may be a few concerns however. He is by Montjeu and although he has shown no signs of temperament before it will be interesting to see how he deals with the atmosphere on Guineas day. Another concern is the ground. The Guineas is usually run on good, quick ground. We have been told that St Nicholas Abbey will be at home on better ground, but for a horse whose most impressive victory came on soft ground and who will want more than a mile this year it raises a small doubt that he may get taken off his feet in the early stages.

There are also a number of very good pretenders in the race. It was hard not to be impressed by Elusive Pimpernel in the Craven Stakes. Once woken up, he travelled for fun and won impressively. There have been bullish reports from the Awzaan camp recently. His work at Newmarket took the eye and he is a player. Throw in Al Zir, Canford Cliffs and Fencing Master and this year’s Guineas looks well up to scratch. Will St Nicholas Abbey win? I think we might just see a new star born on Saturday.

By Alan Conway