Ruling Court Can Pass Judgement at Newmarket: The 2000 Guineas Betting Preview
- Mick Hinchcliffe
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
Mick Hinchcliffe casts his eye on the weekend's Classics, and reckons it's Godolphin's weekend.
He's got the Guineas Betting Preview ahead of a huge weekend at Newmarket.
High class action at Newmarket this weekend as the course showcases the eagerly anticipated first classics of the 2025 season and it could be a weekend to remember for Charlie Appleby and Team Godolphin who unleash two exciting contenders in particular with RULING COURT and DESERT FLOWER
Ruling Court, an offspring of high profile stallion Justify, attracted an eyewatering price of €2.3 million at the Arqana Breeze Up sale and his reputation preceded him on his debut at Sandown in July last year where in an historically well-regarded maiden he scorched home by five and a half lengths with aplomb.
Next up was the ultra competitive Tattersalls Acomb Stakes at the York August festival and in a very informative affair he finished a clear third to subsequent Derby favourite at the time of writing The Lion In Winter with Wimbledon Hawkeye - who he meets again this weekend - in second.
The bare facts do not give a clear picture as Ruling Court showed clear signs of inexperience becoming noticeably edgy and sweaty in the parade ring and also on the way to post. At a meeting where the Aiden O'Brien outfit could do no wrong Ryan Moore got away to a smart start from a low draw while Ruling Court raced down the unfavoured middle of the track and in my eye an deserves an uptick on that effort.
Eye-catchingly he was next to Meydan in March for the Jumeirah 2000 Guineas in which he beat off a strong field in fine style .
Attracting strong support this week he must have been pleasing on the gallops and the first choice of William Buick Ruling Court can land Saturday's prize
The following day DESERT FLOWER should land the fillies' equivalent. A long-time favourite of mine after witnessing her victory in the May Hill at Doncaster in September this imposing daughter of Night Of Thunder can fully justify her lofty reputation.
Comments