With City Of Troy expected to dominate the 2,000 Guineas, our horse racing tipster looks to the other races from Newmarket for better value.
Star Guest (1.10pm)
The firmer the conditions are the better the chances that expected front runner Dorothy Lawrence will just keep going and win off the front. However there does seem to be at least one horse in this field capable of reeling them in late and continuing their sprinting win streak.
Star Guest has been a revelation since being switched to sprinting, hacking up in two 6f handicaps at this track in late June and July of last year. Off since but highly expected to keep progressing now as a four-year-old and probably won’t need to show much improvement to win this based off those two showings.
Apollo One e/w (1.45pm)
Six-year-old gelding Apollo One had a very successful 2023 without ever quite being able to win. Placing in multiple heritage handicaps, he should be forgiven his last performance at York as nothing coming out of the high number stalls could really get involved in the race.
Prior to that he came second in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot and second at Goodwood in the Steward’s Cup. On both occasions coming first of his group but getting pegged back inside the final furlong by a horse from a different group. Races off the same weight as that Goodwood performance and is a serious danger to finally win one of these on reappearance and he should at least get a place with some bookmakers paying up to six places.
Shagraan (4.45pm)
A very competitive handicap field with multiple horses making good cases that they may be victorious but the one who makes most appeal is Shagraan. The four-year-old gelding was slightly disappointing in group 3 and listed company at end of his 2023 campaign. However he proved he remains a well weighted threat in handicap company when coming second eight days ago at Sandown Park. He struggled for room but stayed on when switched out wide to nab second late on. Put back up to 6f here after that 5f outing the ability shown to stay on in fast ground should see him pick up a valuable second career win here.
