The cream of last year's two-year-colts is scheduled for 2022 combat in Saturday's (30 April) G1 2000 Guineas Stakes (1600m), the fifth event of a highly competitive eight-race simulcast programme from Newmarket, England.
The cast is headed by the unbeaten pair Native Trail and Luxembourg - the former a dual G1 winner who can comfortably be described as 2021's two-year-old champion; the latter a big, strong colt who booked his appointment in this first Classic of the European season with a convincing G1 victory in Doncaster's Futurity Trophy (1600m) 189 days earlier.
They are trained respectively by two of the great names of European racing - Newmarket-based Charlie Appleby and Ireland's Ballydoyle based Aidan O'Brien. Though the pair owns starkly contrasting records in this historic event over the straight 1600m known famously as the Rowley Mile. Appleby is yet to win it, while O'Brien looks for an extraordinary 11th triumph.
Should weaknesses be exposed in either Native Trail (William Buick) or Luxembourg (Ryan Moore), both teams have potent Group-race winning second strings with Godolphin-trainer Appleby fielding Coroebus (James Doyle), while O'Brien saddles Point Lonsdale (Frankie Dettori) in Saturday's feature.
Although all five times he has reached the wire in front, the possible vulnerability of Native Trail is that in most of his races he has tended to look in trouble at some point and any traffic problems as he launches his challenge could present opportunities for rivals to this son of Oasis Dream who will certainly start favourite.
Luxembourg is a stamina-laden son of runaway 2012 G1 Epsom Derby winner Camelot and is already favourite for that much longer (2405m) June Classic. It could be argued that speedier types could outgun him on Saturday especially if the ground - currently mostly good with watering - turns faster.
Appleby, who gained his first British Flat trainers' title last year, said of Native Trail who prepped for Saturday with an ultimately comprehensive victory in this month's G3 Craven Stakes over course and distance: "I know people might say that he came under pressure but when he hit the rising ground, he was very strong. His racing brain clicked in. And William (Buick) sat on him last Saturday and was very pleased with the way he galloped."
Berthed out in gate 15, Native Trail will face 14 declared rivals.
O'Brien has traditionally ignored preps for this Classic, his ten winners all coming on their seasonal return. The trainer, Irish champion for the past 22 seasons, says: "It is a big ask to start Luxembourg off in this when he looks like a middle-distance horse but his sire was fast enough to win it and I think Luxembourg has more pace, and a high cruising speed. "
In the past ten years there have been several surprise 2000 Guineas winners and for those wanting to look in less obvious directions, Eydon and Perfect Power will surely be high on their lists.
Eydon (David Egan) is a magnificent-looking colt who left his two previous all-weather runs way behind when surging from last to first and storming clear of his rivals in the Listed Feilden Stakes (1800m) here this month.
Although there are stamina concerns for Perfect Power - yet to compete beyond 1400m - and also worries about erratic behaviour on the way to the start, he has won his last three starts with electrifying late speed. They include Deauville's Prix Morny and Newmarket's Middle Park Stakes - both 1200m G1s - cementing in the process a terrific partnership with Christophe Soumillon.
Trainer Richard Fahey says: "Christophe has huge confidence in Perfect Power. I have never seen him so animated about a horse as when he won the Prix Morny on him."
