2000 Guineas – Facts & Figures

The QIPCO 2000 Guineas takes place at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course on Saturday 5th May 2012:

 

The 2000 Guineas was first run in 1809 and won by Wizard. His connections – trainer Tom Perren, owner Christopher Wilson and jockey Bill Clift – were also responsible for the first 1000 Guineas winner, Charlotte in 1814.

The Classic, run over Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course, is for three-year-old colts and fillies. Few fillies, who carry 5lb less than colts, run in the 2000 Guineas nowadays. Seven fillies have been successful – Pastille (1822), Crucifix (1840), Formosa (dead-heat with the colt Moslem in 1868), Pilgrimage (1878), Shotover (1882), Sceptre (1902) and Garden Path (1944).

The largest field was in 1930 when there were 28 runners in the race won by Diolite, while 27 ran in 2000, 1964, 1951 and 1933. In both 1829 and 1830 there were just two competitors, with both winners – Patron and Augustus – owned by Lord Exeter and trained by Charles Marson. The maximum field allowed for safety reasons is currently 30.

Since 1900, the longest winning distance was recorded in 1947 by Tudor Minstrel, who scored by eight lengths while the 2011 hero, Frankel, triumphed by six lengths. During the same period, the Classic has been won by a short-head a dozen times – Neil Gow (1910), Kennymore (1914), Adam’s Apple (1927), Pay Up (1936), Kingsway (1943), Nimbus (1949), Palestine (1950), Only For Life (1963), Kashmir II (1966), Royal Palace (1967), Mister Baileys (1994) and, most recently, Mark Of Esteem (1996).

Henrythenavigator in 2008 was the British Classic winner to score by a nose – the new minimum winning distance introduced by the BHA less than three months earlier.

The longest-priced winner was 1961 hero Rockavon, who was returned at 66/1. Not nearly so generous were the odds of 12/100 laid on St Frusquin in 1896 – the shortest-priced winner.

In the 203 runnings to date, a total of 80 favourites or joint-favourites have obliged in the 2000 Guineas – just under 40% of winners have headed the betting market. 

Frankel is the shortest priced winner in the past 46 years, having been returned the 1/2 favourite in 2011. In the same period, four other colts have won at odds-on, while three more have failed including the shortest-priced of them all, the Vincent O’Brien-trained Apalachee, third at 4/9 in 1974.

Irish-trained horses have won 13 renewals since 1900. The first was 1960 winner Martial, trained by Paddy Prendergast, and he has been followed by Sir Ivor (1968 Vincent O’Brien), Nijinsky (1970 Vincent O’Brien), Nebbiolo (1977 Kevin Prendergast), Lomond (1983 Vincent O’Brien), El Gran Senor (1984 Vincent O’Brien), King Of Kings (1998 Aidan O’Brien), Rock Of Gibraltar (2002 Aidan O’Brien), Refuse To Bend (2003 Dermot Weld), Footstepsinthesand (2005 Aidan O’Brien), George Washington (2006 Aidan O’Brien), Henrythenavigator (2008 Aidan O’Brien) and Sea The Stars (pictured; 2009 John Oxx). Since 1900 there have been 12 winners trained in France. They are 1933 Rodosto (trained by Harry Count), Le Ksar (1937 Frank Carter), Djebel (1940 Albert Swann), Thunderhead II (1952 Etienne Pollett), Taboun (1959 Alec Head), Baldric II (1964 Ernie Fellows), Kashmir II (1966 Charles Bartholomew), Nonoalco (1974 Francois Boutin), Zino (1982 Francois Boutin), Zafonic (1994 Andre Fabre), Pennekamp (1995 Andre Fabre) and Makfi (2010 Mikel Delzangles).

The first horse to complete the 2000 Guineas/Epsom Derby double was Smolensko, owned by Sir Charles Bunbury, in 1813. Since then a further 35 horses have completed this double, the most recent being Sea The Stars in 2009.

Sir Michael Stoute, whose latest 2000 Guineas winner was Golan in 2001, is the joint most successful current trainer with five victories. His other four winners were Shadeed (1985), Doyoun (1988), Entrepreneur (1997) and King’s Best (2000). Irish handler Aidan O’Brien equalled the tally of the Newmarket handler in 2008 when Henrythenavigator got the better of New Approach in a thrilling finish. The master of Ballydoyle had previously scored with King Of Kings (1998), Rock Of Gibraltar (2002), Footstepsinthesand (2005) and George Washington (2006). Richard Hannon has saddled three winners – Mon Fils (1973), Don’t Forget Me (1987) and Tirol (1990) – as has Sir Henry Cecil, Bolkonski (1975), Wollow (1976) and Frankel (2011).

The most successful current jockey is Kieren Fallon with four wins on George Washington (2006), Footstepsinthesand (2005), Golan (2001) and King’s Best (2000).

The record time for the Classic of 1m 35.08s was set by Mister Baileys in 1994. 

Queen Elizabeth II owned the 1958 winner of the 2000 Guineas, Pall Mall, while her great-grandfather, King Edward VII, owned both the 1900 victor Diamond Jubilee (when he was the Prince of Wales) and Minoru, successful in 1909.

Since 1900 there have been 12 winners trained in France. They are 1933 Rodosto (trained by Harry Count), Le Ksar (1937 Frank Carter), Djebel (1940 Albert Swann), Thunderhead II (1952 Etienne Pollett), Taboun (1959 Alec Head), Baldric II (1964 Ernie Fellows), Kashmir II (1966 Charles Bartholomew), Nonoalco (1974 Francois Boutin), Zino (1982 Francois Boutin), Zafonic (1994 Andre Fabre), Pennekamp (1995 Andre Fabre) and Makfi 2010 Mikel Delzangles).

GUIDE TO THE GUINEAS FESTIVAL 2012 – CLICK HERE

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