‘Barney’ set to live up to his ‘exciting’ tag in quality Guineas

Godolphin colt Barney Roy gets the chance to live up to his trainer Richard Hannon's glowing assessment when he faces nine rivals in Saturday's G1 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. It is the smallest field for the Classic in 29 years.

Hannon has not held back in lavishing praise on the son of Excelibration, who impressed when beating another well-regarded Godolphin runner, Dream Castle, in the G3 Greenham Stakes at Newbury on April 22.

"Barney Roy is one of the most exciting horses we have had here in a very long time, and hopefully he will run a very big race in the Guineas," Hannon said.

"Since his trip to run in the Greenham at Newbury, we have been delighted with him. He has been taking it pretty easy and just ticking along since his win.

"He did a little piece of work on Tuesday morning and did it very well. He is a pleasure to train - very simple, straightforward and sound," he added.

No Guineas aspirant could hope for a better report card that that, particularly coming from the man in charge of a stable, which has produced four winners of the famous Newmarket Classic.

Richard Hannon senior sent out Mon Fils (1973), Don't Forget Me (1987) and Tirol (1990) to win the 2,000 Guineas, while Richard junior saddled Night Of Thunder (2014).

Saeed bin Suroor supplies two other Godolphin colts having a crack at the prize, Dream Castle, fitted with a hood for the first time, and Top Score, who will be attempting to put behind him an unfortunate run in the G3 UAE Derby at his last start.

Saeed believes the new head gear will assist Dream Castle, another exuberant son of Frankel, in settling. "He ran free at Newbury. He was far too keen," the trainer explained.

"Really, he was lacking experience. It was only his second race. Silvestre de Sousa has since come to ride him at home, with the hood fitted, and it is a case of 'so far, so good.' I would like him to be nice and relaxed in the race.

"As for Top Score, he is improving all the time, and I feel he acts on turf better than dirt," Saeed pointed out.

"His last run (11th in the UAE Derby) should be forgotten. He missed the break, and from that point, he was never really in the picture. But he finished strong. I have been happy with his work since," he added.

While this edition of the Guineas may lack numbers, it certainly does not lack quality. Churchill, the Ballydoyle colt, landed both the G1 National Stakes at the Curragh and the G1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket and is the benchmark.

But Al Wukair was impressive in taking the G3 Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte, and Eminent looked very promising in landing the G3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket. There are still unknowns in this field.

The top fillies are catered for in Sunday's G1 1,000 Guineas, which never fails to produce the odd surprise, particularly when there have been spells of chilly weather during Spring. 

Rhododendron and Hydrangea, two Ballydoyle fillies, have solid performances to their names, particularly the former, who won the G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket. Winter, another stablemate, has also featured in discussions.

But I liked the way Daban won the G3 Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket and expect her to relish the step up to one mile.