Well-bred Wembley worth another chance to show his true worth in today’s 2,000 Guineas

Aidan O'Brien's Wembley has a big chance in today's 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. Photo: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Wayne Bailey

May 01 2021 02:30 AM

Charles Darwin once wrote that “the pedigree of a racehorse is of more value in judging of its probable success than its appearance”, but in the top Flat races, Aidan O’Brien often has a horse with the best pedigree and the best appearance, which is certainly a winning combination.

It’s definitely no fluke that he holds the record for the most wins as a trainer in the 2,000 Guineas at 10, and he has three well-bred horses entered in today’s renewal (3.40 Newmarket) including Wembley, a son of Galileo which probably hasn’t shown his true talent as yet.

Last season, I got frustrated following Wembley which has just one Roscommon maiden win to his credit, finishing second in four of his other races.

He went close when last seen in the Dewhurst, trading odds-on in-running at one stage on Betfair, but stablemate St Mark’s Basilica nabbed it in the end.

It was the second time Wembley was runner-up in a Group One which is either promising or worrying, depending on how you look at it, although the word on the street is that he’s wintered well and I’m going to give him another chance this afternoon at odds of 7/2 or thereabouts.

Joseph O’Brien’s Thunder Moon finished behind Wembley in the Dewhurst, but beat him previously in the Curragh so this could turn into an interesting battle with Charlie Hills’ Mutasaabeq also in the mix.

On the same card, Pyledriver is the one to beat at 9/4 in the Betfair Exchange Jockey Club Stakes (3.0) for the recently formed training partnership of William Muir and Chris Grassic. The colt is in great shape at home according to connections, and had some good runs last term with two Group Two victories and a placing in the St Leger at Doncaster.

The softer going didn’t seem to suit in the Champion Stakes at Ascot when last seen in October so that run is ignored, and with the ground looking fast enough this weekend, we can expect a big run.

William Haggas’ Al Zaraqaan is the one I’m most worried about. He’s been racing on the all-weather in handicaps most recently, but he’s won his last four races and there may be more to come from the son of Golden Horn.

In the Group Three Betfair Palace House Stakes (2.25), Charlie Appleby’s Lazuli looks set to go off as favourite following a couple of nice wins last year including a Group Three – but this race is wide open and with Lazuli carrying a 3lb penalty, preference is for Julie Camacho’s Judicial, which has been chalked up at 5/1 in the early markets under Callum Rodriguez.

The oldest horse in the field aged nine, the gelding was as good as ever last season winning a Group Three and a Listed race, and he often goes well on his first run after a break.

Another one worth a mention is Came From The Dark for Ed Walker under Hollie Doyle. The five-year-old is yet to win outside of handicap company but his latest victory at Newmarket a couple of weeks ago really caught the eye against some decent sorts, and it’s interesting to see he has some Group One entries for later on in the season.

The curtain comes down on
the Punchestown Festival today with
a couple of Grade One races, and Quilixios looks nailed on for the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (4.0) for Henry de Bromhead under Rachael Blackmore at 15/8.

Formerly trained by Gordon Elliott, he won a Grade One at Leopardstown back in February and a victory in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham for his new trainer confirmed he’s a top-class animal. He’s going for his sixth win in a row and takes on Zanahiyr once again, which was fourth in the Triumph Hurdle.

That horse had shown plenty before the Cheltenham loss and remains of interest, but he’s got a tough job on his hands if he wants to reverse the form with Quilixios.

In the Grade One Coolmore Kew Gardens Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle (3.20), Concertista can cap a great week for Willie Mullins and should prove hard to beat priced around 11/10 following her second place in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last time out.